The Knights of Rose
by RebukeX7
Summary: Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity,Prudence,Temperance,Resolution,Truth,Liberality,Diligence,Hope,and Valor. These are the virtues that are adopted by those whom choose the life of a knight. In a world overrun with evil, these are the virtues adopted by desperate individuals whom seek to protect their only chance at salvation-a reluctant heroine turned Empress. Mankind's last hope.
1. Knights of Rose

**Disclaimer: RWBY is owned by Monty Oum**

 **Featured BGMs:**

 _ **Snow in Summer-NieR OST**_

 _ **Go Fight! Show Your Energy!- Maple Story OST**_

 _ **Ingkells (Extended Version, YouTube it)-Vindictus OST**_

 _ **Ashes of Dreams (New)- NieR OST**_

 _ **Blu-Bird- NieR OST**_

 _ **Where the Wind and Feathers Return-Radiant Historia OST**_

 _ **All of you is all of me [EXTENDED]- No Game No Life OST**_

 _ **Honor For All- Dishonored OST**_

 _ **Uncontrollable- Xenoblade Chronicles OST**_

 _ **This Will Be the Day (Casey & Jeff Williams)- RWBY OST**_

 _ **Beauty of Destiny- Persona 4 The Animation OST**_

 _ **His Theme (Slow Build Up Loop) Extended- Undertale OST**_

 _ **Time To Say Goodbye (Casey & Jeff Williams)- RWBY OST**_

 **Prologue: Knights of Rose**

 **-Vale-**

 **BGM: Snow in Summer-NieR OST**

A young woman of about eighteen years of age fell to her knees in exhaustion next to an older blonde man whom was lying flat on his back. They were currently on the remains of an old building and overlooked the devastated streets of the once prosperous city as hordes of Grimm meandered through it. She winced as her tattered red cloak billowed in the wind releasing rose petals that were once a vibrant red but now looked as though they were wilting.

"C-Come on Jaune, we need to get out of here." Ruby said weakly as the booming laughter of Salem could be heard from the remains of Beacon's tower. She shuddered as she thought of the sheer amount of power the woman had obtained.

"What's the point?" Jaune asked hopelessly. "We're going to die anyway." Jaune said as he place a hand over his eyes in a vain attempt to stop the tears which could still be seen escaping from under his palm. "I just want to get it over with."

"Jaune don't say that–"

"Say what? The truth!?" Jaune snapped as he sat up with a glare making her flinch slightly. "Look around you, Ruby. We lost. So bad, in fact, the fucking Grimm don't even want to eat us!"

"We can still fight back!" Ruby argued making him laugh humorlessly.

"How? Don't worry, I'll wait." Jaune said as he waited to hear what sort of plan she could possibly come up in this situation. "Ruby, you're a great leader but solid, well thought out strategy has not been one of your strong points. You improvise in the moment, so take it from someone who does use strategy. When I say we are fucked, I _mean_ it!"

"Then maybe we just need to get out there, I can't see it now, but maybe once we are there in front of Salem I can come up with something–"

"–Ruby! This is not a story book. The good guy just can't up and win in the end out of nowhere. If you go out there, you will die. Like Pyrrha, like Yang, Blake, Weiss, Ozpin, Oscar, Qrow, Glynda, hell, probably even Ren and Nora at this point I sure as hell haven't heard from them in _hours."_ Jaune stressed the last word. "Who did we think we were? How did we think we could stop this, stop _her?"_

"Because we can!" Ruby argued back with a glare of her own.

"Oh _grow up._ You're eighteen now, an adult. Act like it! The _only_ silver lining in this is that Adam and Neo are burning in hell and I can't _wait_ to see them." Jaune said as he stood up and threw Crocea Mors down.

"If growing up means giving up before the battle even starts, then I'll gladly remain a child." Ruby said angrily as he gestured once more to the destroyed city.

"Newsflash, not only did the battle start–it's already over. Why can't you see that?" Jaune asked in frustration. "You'd think with eyes as _special_ as yours, you wouldn't be so blind. Maybe that's your problem, your eyes just can't see reality. That's going to get you killed just like your mom!" Jaune snapped before pausing as Ruby looked at him with a hurt expression. His eyes widened as he thought about what he said. "Ruby, I'm sorry. I'm so sorry but please, just stop. Maybe if we leave we can find somewhere remote and at least of the illusion of peace before we die."

"If you want to leave then fine," Ruby said as tears fell from her eyes while her determined expression never left her face. "I'll fight without you. I'd rather die fighting than live like a coward."

"Yeah, well at least I'll be alive." Jaune said sarcastically before sighing. "It doesn't matter anyway, it's not like I'm a factor, and even if I go with you the result is the same. I'm just not good enough."

"How can you say that? After making it this far? Living this long when 'greater' huntsmen were all killed? Why are you so blind to your own strength?" Ruby asked as she looked at the hopeless and wounded Jaune. Anyone looking at the scene would look upon Jaune and fine physically, mentally, and emotionally exhausted young man with now air of power at all. Yet to Ruby, in her silver eyes, all she could see when she looked at him was a powerful Knight whose strength had barely any rival.

It's been like that since she first met him.

It's been like this since she was born. She never noticed it until recently but there were a select few people that when she looked at them she _literally_ saw the best them they could be. It's why she had never looked down upon Jaune despite his failures, why she attempted to be Weiss' friend despite the heiress' initial dislike of her.

Why she even bothered to form a bond with someone as awkward as Penny despite her being a robot on top of it.

It's one of the reasons Ruby believed her eyes to be a curse because she could see things others couldn't. And because despite seeing all of these wonderful qualities when she looked in the mirror all she saw was a wannabe huntress with a semblance for speed that was too slow to save those that mattered to her.

It didn't stop at people either but sometimes even entire situations appeared differently to her. She could always see the silver lining no matter how bleak a scenario was.

It angered her. It enraged her, that someone as great as Jaune could dare claim to be worse than her and give up on top of it despite having so much power.

"Why can't you see what I see? Why can't anyone see what I see?" Ruby asked helplessly as if having a full blown breakdown as Jaune approached her in concern before holding her while she sobbed. "Why are you so blind?"

"Ruby–"

"No! I'm just, I'm just so sick of being the only one who can see _good."_ Ruby said before stepping back and glaring into his eyes. "I would _love_ to bask in misery with you, to give up hope like you but I physically _can't._ I don't want to fight anymore either but my body won't let me despite how weak it is." Ruby said as she gritted her teeth. "I _**wish, I wish,**_ that for once you could see what I see when I look at you."

"Ruby…" Jaune trialed off his look of concern shifting into one of confusion as for the first time he saw his own reflection in her eyes and it startled him to no end just how different he appeared, how strong he appeared, despite him clearly being able to see the reality. "Holy shit." Jaune whispered in morbid fascination confusion Ruby greatly.

"Jaune?"

"You're being _serious."_ Jaune said as he leaned in closer to get a better look at her eyes, confusing her even more. "I can literally see my reflection in your eyes and it looks _nothing_ like me. Is…Is this what you've been seeing this whole time? Some sort of majestic shining knight?" Jaune asked incredulously as Ruby's eyes shimmered a bit. "I am a man in tattered rags right now, not whatever, whoever, _**that**_ is."

"But why can't you be?" Ruby asked innocently and at that moment Jaune found himself actually frozen as his mind seemed to leave his body as he stared into her eyes while his body began to release a silver light.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM:** **Go Fight! Show Your Energy!- Maple Story OST**

 _ ***Flash***_

 _As he stared into her eyes he saw it. He saw every decision, every outcome, the entirety of his life's choices at once and eventually he found himself at a crossroads as a foreign feeling of hope surged through his chest._

 _On his left he saw the shining knight Ruby apparently saw whenever she looked at him. On his right, he saw the failure he sees whenever he looks in a mirror. Both were extending a hand towards him and he looked disgusted at the very sight of the image on his right._

" _Who are you?" Jaune couldn't help but ask as he stared at his mirror image._

" _You."_

" _That…that's not possible, you're nothing like me!" Jaune said making the knight laugh._

" _I'm you in every way but one. I have the same amount of aura, the same skills, and I know everything you do. The only difference is our cognitions. I don't give up, I don't have self-doubt, I make the most of the resources given to me and use them to their maximum potential." The knight said with a laugh before placing a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "I'm everything you could be at this very moment if you take a step back and just change your perspective. If you don't give up."_

" _You make that sound so simple." Jaune said sarcastically. "I can't just do a mental 180. I'm like this for a reason, my experiences made me how I am."_

" _Indeed, and this experience could make you who you can be. Why? Because_ _ **she**_ _deemed it so. You've followed her for how long? You've seen the hope she inspires, for once let her inspire you." The knight said as he rested his forehead on Jaune's. "Accept this, shift this cognition and live out your life as the man you could be." The Knight said making tears fall from Jaune's eyes._

" _I…I accept…I want to change." Jaune said and before he could say anything else his mirror image transformed. Gone was the knight and in his place was a beautiful woman with long red and black hair that was staring at him with bright silver eyes filled with kindness and hope._

" _Then so shall it be."_

 _ ***Flash***_

 **-Beacon-**

" _ **WHAT!?"**_ Salem boomed in confusion as she glanced to the right to see a large white pillar of light. The very sight of it caused her and the Grimm physical pain.

 **-With Ruby-**

Ruby shielded her eyes and when the light died down she gasped. She could finally see the tattered clothes he was wearing, gone was the majestic armor she could have sworn he just had on but at the same time his face was exactly how she recalled it.

Strong.

Confident.

Caring.

"Ruby." Jaune's warm voice said as grasped the side of her face and gave her a reassuring smile. "You're the most amazing person I've ever met." Jaune said before kicking up his sword and catching it effortlessly. "Giving up isn't an option, we have much to fight for and live for. I see that now, no, I _feel_ that now."

"Jaune…" Ruby whispered before a bright smile illuminated her face. "…then let's fight! Let's show her what we can do!" Ruby said as she turned back to the destroyed city as hordes of Grimm charged in their direction. Suddenly, she yelped as she found herself slung effortlessly over his shoulder.

"That said we need to pick and choose our battles. Run and live to fight another day, that has to be a plan you can get behind." Jaune said making her pause before pouting a bit as she thought about his logic. Despite her drive, she knew the odds were completely against her. As long as they would return and not give up, she could concede to a tactical retreat.

"Yay, compromise!" Ruby cheered as Jaune bolted away from the upcoming battle at speeds that while nowhere near close to Ruby, completely blew away his previous capabilities or at the very least it was a speed he could have reached all along if he had tried. As they left with a renewed sense of purpose they knew that they would return and retake Beacon one day.

That day just wasn't today.

 **BGM: END**

 **-1 week later-**

"Okay, food is running low but luckily a village should be nearby." Jaune said as he and Ruby sat at a campfire. Ruby nodded her head but said nothing as she continued looking at Jaune suspiciously. She had been giving him the same odd look ever since they made their tactical retreat. "What?"

"Nothing it's just…you're really different." Ruby said finally. "I know I wanted you to be what I see, but it's really scary that you did it in an instant."

"Ruby, you literally dragged out the best in me. For the first time since I was seventeen I feel hope." Jaune said as he placed a hand over his chest. "You already know you're special, hate to break it you but you're the only one who can save us now. It's always been you, the guardian we need."

"So much for normal knees." Ruby muttered before shaking her head. "It's just, I didn't even know my eyes could do this."

"Well, all you have is hearsay to go off of when it comes to your eyes." Jaune said before shrugging. "The way I see it, everything known about them someone had to discover first. This is just you discovering something else and sometime down the road someone else will be able to add this onto the list of hearsay they have about their eyes." Jaune said before narrowing his eyes. "How about you tell me what's really eating you up?"

"It's just you were so ready, so determined, to give up and instantly I made you change. It's like I stole your choice away, manipulated you–you know? I feel dirty." Ruby said with a frown.

"If this is mind control, Ruby, it doesn't feel like it." Jaune said with a laugh.

"And that's just it! If it was something obvious like turning you into speechless zombie or something at least I could be like 'oh, I turned him into a zombie' and I can try to stop it. This however, it's so…so _subtle._ Believe it or not I _made_ you continue to fight and looking back on it I feel dirty, really, really dirty." Ruby said as her eyes glistened. "How does this make me any different than Salem–"

"You are _nothing_ like her!" Jaune snapped making her flinch before he sighed. "Look let's say you're right, you know what? I still don't care. I'd rather live my life enslaved by a wonderful person than die at the hands of that monster. I trust you, Ruby. Even before this, I've always trusted you. You're my best friend." Jaune said before giving her a sad smile. "My unofficial partner. If you did, somehow, turn me into your tool? Then just make sure you use me right. I'm not going anywhere and I don't want you to turn me back into who I was, I never want to feel that lack of hope again. Okay?"

"Okay." Ruby said quietly making him smile. "Now come on crater face, we still need to eat–where the hell is my food!?"

 _*munch*_

Jaune and Ruby looked up in surprise to find Nora sitting in front of the campfire eating Jaune's food with a smile, completely oblivious to the world around her.

"Yo." Ren said nonchalantly sitting next to Ruby. Ruby and Jaune gaped at the two before their eyes began to water.

"R-ren…N-nora…you're…you're alive!" Jaune in shock and relief. "I thought I might have gotten you killed!"

"Hm? Impossible, the odds were in our favor." Ren said simply making the blonde gape at him.

"You were surrounded by an army!"

"I had a Nora." Ren said making Jaune pause. Now that he thought about it, Ren had a point.

"But… _how?"_ Ruby asked after getting over her shock as Nora finished eating Jaune's fish before giving Ruby a manic grin.

"So there we were, surrounded by five hundred White Fang–"

"It was one hundred and fifty." Ren interrupted but was completely ignored.

"Ren was out of bullets–"

"–I had two magazines left."

"I had barely any strength left."

"You lifted Magnhild effortlessly with one hand and was able to choke slam a man twice your size into the ground with the other." Ren said as Jaune and Ruby turned between him and Nora as if watching a ping pong match.

"But the gods said, 'Not today' and by a stroke of luck a lightning bolt slammed into me thanks to the storm that was surrounding us. With my renewed vigor I was more than enough to take them out!" Nora shouted before slamming her hammer into the ground with enough force to make the ground tremble a bit. "And when I say I brought down the hammer, _I brought down the hammer!"_

"…"

"Ren?" Ruby asked making him shrug.

"That's…that's actually true." Ren said with a shrug. "As luck would have it, she was actually struck by lightning and proceeded to _solo_ an army. I was there for emotional support."

"Nora…never change." Jaune said with a grin which she returned.

"So what did we walk in on? Sounded like a very heavy conversation." Ren said making Jaune and Ruby glance between each other nervously before they decided to recap everything that had transpired. "You made him change, you say? He looks a bit more confident but I don't see that much different…no offence."

"None taken." Jaune said as he waved his friend off.

"He's killed five Ursa majors, three packs of Beowolves, seven Nevermores, a Deathstalker, and two King Taijitus in the past week alone. As if he were on some sort of mission to not let me fight." Ruby said dryly making Jaune scratch the back of his head sheepishly while his teammates gaped at him. "He's become _very_ protective of me which is another reason I regret doing what I did to him."

"Ruby, you didn't brainwash me. I'm just…grateful…that you did whatever it was you did to me. I mean if I can help you conserve your energy and not fight unnecessary fights, why shouldn't I?" Jaune said making her roll her eyes.

"So earlier when I got a splinter and you swore unholy vengeance on a damn _tree_ I shouldn't be concerned?" Ruby questioned sarcastically making him pause.

"Seriously…?" Ren asked as he gave him a half-lidded stare.

"We're using it as firewood, right now." Ruby said as she gestured to the campfire, the chopped up pile of wood on the side, and the logs they were currently sitting on.

"It's the tree's fault." Jaune said as he crossed his arms.

"It was a _tree!"_ Ruby said before pouting and rubbing the log she sat on. "I'm sorry tree, but your murder will go unavenged."

Ironically, some sap leaked from the log as if it were crying.

"Hmm…interesting…" Ren muttered. "But despite this overprotectiveness, is Jaune still Jaune?" Ren questioned making Ruby pause before slowly nodding.

"It's like he's literally become the best him he can be but he still has his mannerisms, he's still _Jaune_ you know? Or at least acts like it." Ruby finally answered, making Jaune's eye twitch.

"Right here, you know." Jaune said dryly but was ultimately ignored.

"Interesting, it's him but stronger? This could prove to be an invaluable asset but we need more information." Ren said before nodding and turning to Ruby. "It's settled, you need to do it again."

"Excuse me!?" Ruby asked in alarm.

"Ooh~ Me next!" Nora said before she suddenly appeared before Ruby and stared into her eyes. "Wow! You have really pretty eyes.

"Uhh…thank you? Ren!?" Ruby asked as she turned to the resident ninja whom shrugged.

"Whatever it is you can do may just be humanity's last hope. This is war, Ruby, and we're losing. We have to do whatever it takes, no matter the cost. Nora is willingly risking her free will for you right now, please don't look down upon this sacrifice." Ren said with a surprising amount of conviction in his voice. Ruby slowly looked back into Nora's eyes and gasped as gone was the goofiness, In fact, no one had ever seen such a serious expression on Nora's face before.

Not even when she heard about Pyrrha's death.

"Ruby, if you can somehow make me stronger, I want you to do it. I don't care what happens, I don't want to lose anyone else. Not to that bitch." Nora said quietly as her firm gaze never left Ruby's eyes.

"I…I'll try but I have no idea what I did the first time." Ruby said before continuing to stare into Nora's eyes, moments passed but nothing was happening. "It's not working."

"Think, Ruby, try to recreate that feeling you had when it happened to me." Jaune said and Ruby frowned as she attempted to once again call upon that anger, that desperation, that frustration she felt. "Come on Ruby, You also said something what was it?"

"I…I wish… _ **I wish**_ …you could see what I see when I look at you." Ruby repeated as she stared at Nora whom laughed a bit.

"Ohh~ Romantic." Nora said making Ruby blush she was going to avert her eyes but Nora stopped her. "Wait, I see something." Nora said as she saw her reflection in Ruby's eyes shimmer a bit. "Oh no way, that can't be how you see me!" Nora gushed as Jaune smirked knowing it must have worked.

"You might feel a little nauseous Nora." Jaune warned just before Nora's face went blank. Nora's mind seemed to leave her body as she, Like Jaune, found herself at a crossroads. On the right she saw who she was now, but on the left she saw who she could be as every decision she ever made circled around her.

"Huh, cool." Nora said as she saw a heroic version of herself grin back at her. She looked like a literal goddess of battle as pink lightning coursed over her body. As one, the two Noras fist-bumped and for a split second, Nora saw a beautiful red and black haired woman with the most beautiful silver eyes she had ever seen.

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ ***Rumble***_

"Uh…is a storm supposed to form?" Ren asked cautiously as he stood up and stepped back while Ruby and Jaune slowly shook their heads, mimicking his actions.

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

As one, they yelped as a large pink bolt of lightning slammed down into Nora with enough force to send them crashing back with enough force to cause Ren and Jaune's–the latter of which grabbed and covered Ruby–Auras to shatter as a loud laugh rung out.

"Wooo! I am the strongest! Ha ha ha!" Nora laughed with her hands on her hips while pink electricity crackled in her eyes. "Come on, where are our enemies? They are all about to catch the hammer!"

"Nora!" Ren called out making her pause as she turned to see her downed friend giving her an annoyed glance.

"Hehe, sorry Ren." Nora said apologetically as she scratched the back of her head before turning to find Ruby. "Whoa, now I see what Jaune is talking about, I have the weirdest urge to protect you from everything." Nora said as she approached Ruby with a smile as Jaune helped her up. Ruby gritted her teeth as she looked at Nora with tears in her eyes.

"So it happened to you too, _see_ I don't want you to be so focused on me–"

 _ ***KRRAANNNNG!***_

Ruby was cut off as she was forced to watch Jaune suddenly block a vicious lightning filled right hook from Nora with his shield. The sheer force of the blow made even Jaune's shield bend slightly in protest, but still it did not break

 _ ***Crack***_

Jaune's arm, on the other hand, did.

"Nora…" Jaune muttered, ill-intent lacing his voice as his arm went limp. Great, now he was going to have to sleep with a broken arm.

"Sorry, Jaune~" Nora said as Ruby looked at her in shock no doubt wondering what would have happened to her face if Jaune hadn't blocked it. "It's an _urge_ Ruby, but nothing we can't overcome. If I was _truly_ mind controlled or something I wouldn't be able to attack you." Nora said with a grin. "We also got a glimpse at Jaune too, looks like he is prepared to go to war."

"Oh you have _no_ idea." Jaune muttered, teammate or not, Aura or not, and broken arm or not, he was more than prepared to go a few rounds with Nora after that stunt.

"Chill Jauney, I had faith you would step in! I just wanted to stop her worrying. We have strong urges affecting how we act but nothing we can't over power." Nora said reassuringly, though she didn't mention that attempting what she did felt as though something were tearing her apart from the inside. Jaune's knowing glanced showed that he knew very well what she felt. "Still, I feel pretty much the same power-wise. It's just like I know how to make the most out of what I have, you know?" Nora said as she tried to explain what she felt.

She could still get much stronger with training, she could feel it, but now it was as if she had realized how she was previously using her strength was subpar. Like she had become a true master of the strength she already wielded.

"Well…that's a little comforting I guess…" Ruby muttered before yawning.

"And it appears as though whatever you did is draining to you." Ren pointed out as Ruby looked ready to pass out.

"Definitely once the adrenaline stopped after she turned me, she passed out over my shoulder." Jaune chuckled making Ruby's cheeks redden in embarrassment.

"I did not–" Ruby's protest was stopped as she suddenly passed out barely giving Jaune any time to catch her with his good arm.

"She's special." Nora said quietly as she gazed at Ruby while Jaune nodded.

"Yeah, she is." Jaune said with a fond smile as Nora turned to Ren and gave him a nod.

"R-Ren…we can do this, fight back…we can actually fight back." Nora said as she wiped her eyes while Ren embraced her tightly. Unknown to Ruby and Jaune, this has been the first time Nora had smiled since they were separated. She was in so much despair it was almost as if his perpetually happy friend was constantly grey. She had lost hope, so much that he never though he'd see her have the will to fight ever again.

But here she was.

Her spark had come back.

"Interesting." Ren said as he gazed at the unconscious form of Ruby. A change was coming, he just didn't know how or when yet.

 **-The Next Morning-**

Slowly, Ruby eventually began to regain consciousness and she frowned to herself when she felt herself lying on something soft. Shifting a bit, her frown deepened when she found herself being held firmly and slowly opened her eyes to find herself on a bed wrapped tightly in Nora's arms as said woman snored loudly.

"Ah you're awake." Ren's voice got her attention as she turned to find the man sipping on whatever weird green concoction he decided to make for himself. She blinked owlishly as she looked around the room she was in and found Jaune sitting in a chair near the door, his head bowed slightly as he snored quietly and held Crocea Mors firmly in his hands.

"Ren, where are we?"

"Nearby village. We decided to continue onwards after you passed out. Jaune and Nora were oddly adamant about you not being forced to sleep outside for another night." Ren said as he sipped his drink. "I must say, this is really astounding. I've never seen Nora this protective of someone other than me."

"Yeah, well I wish she wasn't." Ruby said with a pout as she tried to force herself free to no avail as the powerful woman simply tightened her hold while mumbling to herself in her sleep.

"Is it really that bad?" Ren asked curiously. "To have people concerned with your well-being?"

"No, but it just…just doesn't feel right you know? I'm no different from them. They should be concerned with themselves not me, I don't want anyone putting me before them. It's just not right." Ruby tried to explain making him sigh.

"Though I understand your reasoning, I feel I must inform you that you are-in fact-special. You know this, Ruby." Ren said calmly. "You are the _only_ one left that stands a chance against Salem. You may not wish to hear it, you may choose not to believe it, but the reality is that your life means more than anyone else's in this room if not the entirety of Remnant."

"But–"

"No buts, the sooner you accept this, the sooner we can try to figure out how to go about dealing with that witch." Ren said matter-of-factly making Ruby clench her fists tightly. "Tell me, do you believe in destiny?"

"What?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"Destiny, do you believe in it?" Ren repeated making her frown before slowly nodding. "Then surely you must realize you, of all people, have a destiny you must fulfill. The youngest huntress in our year, gifted being belief, with power nearly unrivaled. You have been at the center of every major event in Salem's rise to power surely you cannot think this is all coincidence. You are smarter than that Ruby."

"But…I…" Ruby began before sighing. "I know alright? But you all put me on this pedestal but you can't see just how weak I really am can you? My team is dead, what kind of hero can't save those closest to them? You want the truth? I'm scared, okay?" Ruby said as her voice trembled a bit. "Aren't I allowed to be scared?"

"You are, but despite your fear you are always the first to act." Ren pointed out making her pause. "You have a courage you fail to recognize that is apparently mixed with a crippling modesty. To use your own words against you–"

"–we wish you could see what we do when we look at you." Nora said quietly making Ruby look up in surprise to see the orange haired woman look down at her with a grin before winking at her.

"When you turned us, we were given a choice to be what you see or remain who we are." Jaune said as he stood up and strode towards them. "And when we accepted, we were able to see a glimpse of who you can be, who you _will_ be if I have anything to say about it."

"It's tragically ironic, really. That your powers can't work on yourself." Ren said as he tilted his head curiously. "But I suppose that's where everything comes full circle."

"What do you mean?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"We were talking about it." Nora said in a tone that screamed 'we know something you don't know' "And what Ren and Jaune came up with was that you make us better and the purpose of our loyalty is so that we can return the favor."

"When you say you're weak, you're only half right Ruby. Compared to other huntsmen you're pretty strong and gifted." Jaune began as his smile faded. "But compared to who _you_ could be, yes, you are weak. Only because you haven't come close to your own limits."

"We know as much about your powers as you do and that's only because you told us. You have nothing to go off of and any possible records are nowhere near for our use. Still, between the three of us I think we can stumble along and help you find the right path." Ren said sagely.

"Three?" Ruby repeated with a frown as he extended his hand.

"Well, if you're willing to let me help as well." Ren said making her eyes widen in understanding. However, before she could respond a loud roar echoed out into the distance. It was a roar they all knew too well. "No…"

"It was a matter of time before Salem started spreading to the rest of the world. But to think she'd send one of those things to a village this small." Jaune said with a glare as he looked out of the window of the inn and saw a dragon-like Grimm approaching from the distance as many of the villagers began to scream.

"Then let's go. I can stop it." Ruby said making Jaune shake his head.

"No, Ruby."

"Jaune you can't stop me from fighting!" Ruby said angrily before looking at Nora whom held her reassuringly.

"Relax, that's not what he meant." Nora said knowingly making Jaune nod.

"I mean that you're not going to stop it. _We're_ going to _kill_ it." Jaune corrected making Ruby look at him in surprise. "But to do that we're going to need a plan…well?" Jaune asked as he turned to Ruby with the rest of his old team. Said young woman was more than a little caught off guard at suddenly being put on the spot but as the screams seemed to get louder her eyes narrowed in determination.

"…I have a plan." Ruby said eventually making them smirk.

 **-Later-**

 **BGM: Ingkells (Extended Version, YouTube it)-Vindictus OST**

 _ ***ROOOOOOAAARRRRRRR***_

["On second thought, this might get you killed. You're still not fully healed."] Ruby's concerned voice said from over the scroll as Jaune walked forward towards the incoming Grimm as the citizens ran past him in terror. Jaune chuckled a bit as his shield opened up on top of his arm as he drew his blade.

"Don't worry about me, just focus on evacuating the people so you can rejoin me later." Jaune said as a red blur sped through the town, snatching people up and dropping them off in the outskirts. Jaune flashed his aura to get the airborne Grimm's attention. "Come on there is a nice tasty meal right here!" Jaune taunted loudly making it roar before it dive-bombed towards him as it released black droplets that spawned various types of Grimm.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

 _ ***BOOOM!***_

 _ ***RIINNNGGGG!***_

The ground around Jaune exploded from the might of the Grimm, but to his satisfaction he didn't budge as his body and shield were coated with his aura. Digging both of his heels to the ground, Jaune gritted his teeth as he pushed back the Grimm's massive head little by little. Flipping his blade in his right hand, Jaune stabbed the Grimm in one of its eyes making it howl in pain before its head was knocked quickly to the side courtesy of a powerful shield bash from Jaune.

 _ ***BANG!***_

"Smash!" Nora shouted with a laugh as she flipped in the air before delivering a powerful over-head swing with her hammer which was crackling with pink electricity. The sheer strength of the blow created pink shockwaves which shattered the nearby windows before the Grimm's head instantly slammed into the ground with a sickening crunch.

 _ ***RATATATATATATATA***_

Ren dashed forward and slid over the massive Grimm as he shot both it and the nearby Grimm it spawned.

["Keep up the crowd control, Ren!"] Ruby said as a red spiraling blur bounce from rooftop to roof top until it stopped, revealing Ruby whom slammed down her scythe and took aim at the large Grimm through her scope.

 _ ***Bang!***_

 _ ***Bang!***_

 _ ***Bang!***_

The Grimm screeched after it found itself blinded after Ruby shot its eyes on the right side of its head before hopping over it and landing on the roof top across from her where she repeated the process.

"Nice." Jaune complimented as the Grimm began thrashing wildly. Quickly raising his shield, Jaune blocked a vicious swipe from the Grimm's claws before hopping up and spinning around before cleaving off its left arm with a mighty swing.

 _ ***Thooom***_

The ground shook slightly after the massive limb landed onto the streets. The enraged Grimm attempted to fly up but after the first mighty flap of its wings, Nora descended upon it and mercilessly crushed its right with a mighty swing of her hammer. Pink lightning bolts erupted from the ground and slammed into her hammer, reinforcing it as the giant Grimm found itself electrocuted. Jaune was forced to use his shield to prevent himself from becoming part of the collateral damage.

"Amazing." Ren muttered, more than a little awed by the newfound strength of his friends–especially when he considered that Jaune wasn't even completely recovered.

"Well we're hurting it at least." Jaune muttered as Nora sprung off of the Grimm and landed beside him. "Ruby, exactly what part of this plan actually involved _killing_ it?" Jaune questioned before frowning when he got no response. "Ruby?" Jaune asked cautiously, feeling as though Ruby may have kept something from him that he wouldn't approve of.

"Uh…If this works, promise me you and Nora won't get mad." Ruby said cautiously making both Jaune and Nora frown as the giant Grimm turned towards her and released a powerful roar that blew back both Ruby's hair and her cloak. Placing her scythe behind her, she narrowed her eyes when she saw her opportunity before releasing a shot from her weapon which sent her flying directly into the Grimm's mouth where it swallowed her whole.

Jaune, Nora, and Ren were all left speechless at the sight.

"Oh you reckless red–!" Jaune's following list of profanities were drowned out by the pained screeches of the Grimm as it suddenly felt itself being torn apart from the inside.

 **-With Ruby-**

Ruby cut and shot everything within reach as she made her way through the Grimm. She couldn't make out a thing and felt herself slowly losing consciousness as the lack of air. Her legs burned horribly as she found herself knee deep in whatever it was that the Grimm were made out of. The sinister substance was eating away at her aura and things were looking bleak. Still, eventually she could feel the Grimm's movements come to a stop and slowly her bright eyes closed as she fell down knowing she managed to save at least some people from the monster.

A powerful pulling sensation was the last thing she felt before losing consciousness.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later-**

Ruby blinked tiredly as she regained consciousness to once more find herself wrapped firmly in Nora's arms. Looking around, she noticed that they must have made it back to their room somehow.

"–Of all the unmitigated gall!" Jaune snapped as he continued to pace and stared at his scroll.

"Ooh~ that's a new one." Nora piped up.

"Had to search for new words." Jaune said as he showed her the dictionary App he had opened on his scrolls. "Need a whole new vocabulary to express my anger right now."

"Just do what I do, when she wakes up I'll break her legs!" Nora said happily making Ruby pale before she quickly attempted to pretend to still be sleeping.

"Hmm, that opportunity may be now seeing as she appears to have awaken." Ren pointed out making Ruby tense.

" _I hate you Ren…"_ Ruby thought in despair.

"But…that may be a bit drastic and counter-productive in the long run." Ren added making Ruby relax.

" _Thank you Ren–"_

"How about we just settle for hiding away any sweets we come across in the foreseeable future?" Ren suggested making them smirk.

" _Fuck you Ren."_ Ruby thought as she opened her eyes and gave him a weak glare as he gave a small smirk.

"Ruby! Are you okay?" Jaune questioned in concern as he rushed to her side, all anger forgotten.

"A little sore, but I'll live." Ruby said making him nod with a relieved smile. Suddenly, that smile vanished as his glare came back full force.

"Then what the hell were you _thinking!?"_ Jaune asked incredulously.

"Well it's just; the Grimm had so much armor. Yeah we could take out its limbs but the important parts were too protected. It would have just lived and drew more Grimm to it and I didn't want to lose another town." Ruby explained as she looked up at the blond. "I found a way to get to its soft parts and went for it. Seeing how we're alive I guess it worked."

"Well…she's not wrong." Nora pointed out with a thoughtful frown.

"Yes but if she didn't pull her out, she would have died long before a Grimm that big finished evaporating." Jaune countered making Nora pause before nodding to herself and giving Ruby a firm knock to the top of her head.

"Ouch!"

"Bad Ruby." Nora said as Ruby held the top of her head in pain.

"Wait-if _who_ didn't pull me out?" Ruby asked in confusion before looking towards the door when she heard someone knocking.

"Come in." Jaune called out before the door opened to reveal…

"…Professor Goodwitch?" Ruby said breathlessly as perpetually stoic woman walked in with a small smile.

"Hello Ms. Rose, still up to your usual antics I see." Glynda said calmly. "Though I suppose you can stop calling me professor, I haven't been your teacher for quite some time."

"Glynda has been lying low in this town for the past year, when the fight broke out she came to help. She made it just in time to see you swan dive into one of the most dangerous Grimm known to man." Jaune explained as Glynda fixed her glasses.

"If Beacon had never fallen we would have hopefully broken you out of your reckless habit. Still…You're alive somehow." Glynda said before glancing around the room. "You childr-no-you men and women have performed excellently. I applaud you all for surviving this long when so many have fallen. Ozpin would be proud." Glynda said as she approached the window and folded her arms behind her back. "You all have become quite the local heroes; it took hours for the townsfolk to stop cheering for you. However, it's time to depart."

"What?" Ruby asked with a frown. She had spent most of the time in the village fighting or unconscious, she wanted to at least see how the people were getting by.

"Salem now knows your location. Should you stay here you would simply bring ruin upon this village. We must depart, stay moving and fight her on our terms or else this war will never go in our favor." Glynda explained calmly as their eyes widened.

"Wait, _we?"_ Jaune repeated making her smile slightly.

"I believe I have rested long enough. I will personally take it upon myself to make sure you all finish your curriculum. And as we travel you all can tell me just how Mr. Arc and Ms. Valkyrie have become so adept." Glynda said as she turned to face them.

"Legacy of a misspent youth?" Jaune suggested.

 _ ***Crack!***_

"Ouch!" Jaune yelped as he held his forehead in pain after Glynda used her crop to smack him.

"Now, I do believe we have stayed here long enough." Glynda said as she walked towards the door. "You all know how to fight, but allow me to teach you how to _hunt."_ Glynda said as Ruby and her friends glanced towards each other cautiously.

 ***Flash***

 **BGM: Ashes of Dreams (New)- NieR OST**

And so the seasons came and went as the four continued their training under Glynda. Eventually both Ren and Glynda would later find themselves joining the ranks of Jaune and Nora due to Ruby's gift. With everyone but the prodigy quickly reaching their maximum potential, they all focused their attention on training the youngest huntress. And thanks to their efforts, Ruby grew at a rate that was unprecedented.

Ruby discovered more about her gift as well, she could only change those whom had a strong bond with her. Anyone else she was merely only able to grant the will to fight and live on…but still that in itself was quite frankly invaluable. As they traveled they aided any that they could, stopped as many Grimm as they could and as a result news of them spread like wild fire. Though they kept Salem's reign at bay they knew that they would need more than themselves to end this conflict. The question was, how?

It was three years later when they finally got an answer for you see they had gained quite the reputation due to their strength, chivalry, and the protective nature Jaune, Nora, Ren, and Glynda had for their youngest member. They were seen as Knights, in no small part thanks to Jaune whom was the most dedicated to Ruby of them all.

Which was _really_ saying something.

Still they were the Knights and Ruby…

…Ruby was their Queen as the rumor went.

Of course Ruby herself detested these rumors with a passion but Glynda…no, Glynda had an epiphany. For if they wanted to stop Salem and her army, they would need a kingdom of their own.

"No, no, absolutely not!" Ruby refused adamantly making Glynda sigh. Currently they were in the middle of a snow filled forest sitting around a campfire.

"Ruby, the people need a guardian. A kingdom. A united stand against evil, you have to be the one who leads it." Glynda said calmly making Ruby grit her teeth. "There is no darkness without light, no good without evil, it's about time a being existed to counter Salem. She's fear and you can be hope."

"I've been fighting this war on the frontlines since I was fifteen! I belong on the battlefield, not cooped up on some chair while people fight my battles for me!" Ruby protested.

"But it's not just your battle, its all of ours. In fact, the simple fact that you can so easily take the world's burdens upon your shoulders and claim them as your own only reinforces that you need to be the one to lead." Ren said simply getting her attention.

"Vale, Vacuo, Mistral, Atlas…all of those Kingdoms didn't just pop up one day out of thin air." Jaune began as he turned to face Ruby. "They came from pivotal moments, moments like these, where someone decides whether or not to stand up and do what needs to be done. You're that someone, Ruby. We can keep doing what we're doing; helping others to feel good but deep down you know we are just prolonging the inevitable. Or we can try something new, crazy…reckless." Jaune said with a small smirk. "People and dust, that's what we need to bring down Salem. The dust is easy, more than enough abandoned mines and factories lying around…but the people? To get them we need hope."

"And that's where you come in!" Nora said with a bright smile as she ate a roasted fish. "Everyone will see you and be like oooh~ ahhh~ Queen Rose, she's so cool let's fight for her!"

"Well…that's the gist of it." Ren said with a sweat-drop.

"People are already willing to follow you while others still think you are but a rumor. We need to do something that will solidify your presence. Make it known that you're here and that you want to change things." Jaune said making Ruby bow her head before looking back up at him in askance.

"But what can I do?" Ruby asked helplessly. "For something that monumental, we'd need one hell of a major victory to make me into this...this beacon…of….hope…." Ruby trailed of as her eyes widened suddenly.

"Ren, she has that look!" Nora said with a grin. "Our girl's got a plan!"

"Ruby?" Jaune asked with a small frown.

"Beacon…" Ruby repeated as she looked at her companions. "We need to reclaim Beacon."

"Surely you jest." Glynda said with wide-eyes, her composure completely blown for the first time in a while.

"Well, that's definitely a major victory Ruby but it's a bit more…end-gamey? Wouldn't you think? I mean Salem sees that win as one of her most precious trophies, it's heavily guarded." Jaune pointed out making Ruby nod as her eyes shone with determination.

"Exactly which is why if we take it, we'll get one hell of a morale boost while severely damaging the morale of her forces." Ruby said before nodding to herself. "She's arrogant, cocky, she wouldn't even expect it. By the time news reaches her about the attack it'll be too late."

"But how would we get in?" Glynda asked curiously.

 _ ***Flash***_

" _The underground tunnels from the outskirts of Vale, outside of the wall." Ruby said as she stood over a table and relayed the plan to her friends and those they managed to recruit to aid them. "Glynda can remove the debris for us and clear us a path to lead right to the steps of Beacon. After that it is one straight run to the tower."_

 _ ***Flash***_

" _I will protect as many of you as I can with my semblance but make no mistake after a certain point I will be forced to leave you behind, the priority is that Ruby and Glynda get to the top of that tower." Jaune said to the gathered forces in front of the tunnels. "The closer we get, Ren and Nora will fall back and stay with you to keep as many of you alive as possible. Without my shield you will be forced to go on the offensive." Jaune warned._

" _There are twenty-eight of you, over half of you are civilians with no formal training. I will not fault you if you leave now. I will be honest, most if not all of you will not come back to your loved ones," Ruby said as she stood before them. It was a bitter sweet moment for her that not a single person budged. "I have personally memorized your names, should we succeed you will go down in the pages of history. Never forgotten." Ruby promised._

" _Look we're all scared beyond belief." A young man said from the crowd. "But I think I speak for everyone when I say, what happens if we don't try is much scarier." The man continued making a few of those gathered nod their heads. "Just make sure you make it to that tower ma'am."_

" _I…see…then let's go." Ruby said feeling slightly humbled as she turned around, the wind blowing her cloak making it wave like a tattered flag as bright red rose petals floated over the gathered soldiers as she entered the tunnels._

 **BGM: END**

 **-Beacon-**

 **BGM: Blu-Bird- NieR OST**

A large Ursa roamed the school grounds aimlessly before stopping as it smelled something suddenly.

 _ ***BOOOOOM!***_

 _ ***SHING!***_

The Grimm didn't even get a chance to make a sound as the ground exploded in front of it before Jaune leapt up and beheaded it with a powerful swing. As one, all of the hundreds of Grimm turned to the source of the disturbance while the fighters poured onto the school grounds.

"To the tower!" Ruby ordered before they all ran forward while an ethereal barrier surrounded them courtesy of Jaune. It fended off the attacking Grimm easily but it was obvious that covering so many people was weakening it substantially.

"We're slowing them down, those with me stop and fight!" Nora shouted as she suddenly spun around and charged from under the barrier with half of the soldiers behind her. "Come on, highest body count wins!" Nora said with a laugh as she began launching grenades at the Grimm as the soldiers fought for their lives.

Ren narrowed his eyes as he noticed the barrier get stronger as they were able to pick up the pace and clear the stairs.

"Good enough, my group let's go." Ren ordered calmly as he and the remaining soldiers peeled off while Jaune, Ruby, and Glynda continued forward. Screams of agony echoed throughout the air bringing tears to Ruby's eyes but she refrained from looking back.

" _Too slow."_ Jaune thought in dismay as he realized that even though they would succeed going their normal pace, they would still be too slow to save anyone. The only way to get out of this with as many lives as possible would require Ruby to use her Semblance. Ruby's eyes widened in confusion as she felt a hand on her back as the barrier vanished while Glynda levitated and took to the skies, flying towards the top of the destroyed tower.

"Jaune?" Ruby asked in confusion as they ran before gasping as she found herself encased in his protective aura. "Jaune…no…"

"Go." Jaune said as he left himself unprotected. "I'm holding you back, you need to get up there."

"Jaune, you can't expect me to just leave you!" Ruby said angrily making him give her a grim smile as they ran before he glanced back to see hordes of Grimm charging him from behind. Glancing around, Jaune noticed that they had just ran into the last area he had ever saw Pyrrha.

"Do you believe in destiny?" Jaune asked Ruby making her eyes widen in horror before Jaune grabbed her arm and spun her around, building momentum, before practically launching her at the tower. "Go Ruby!"

"Jaune!" Ruby shouted as tears filled her eyes when she heard a massive roar behind her. Not looking back, Ruby blasted forward adding her own speed with the momentum Jaune had provided her. Grimm attempted to attack her, but they found themselves being knocked back by Jaune's aura. Ruby leapt high and landed with her feet on the side of the tower. Wasting no time, Ruby began to run up the tower going faster than she ever had before knowing she didn't have the luxury of Weiss' glyphs to help her this time.

"Alright, who's first!?" Jaune asked as he was surrounded by hordes of Beowolves, Creepers, and Ursas. The ground trembled as another massive dragon-like Grimm slammed into the ground behind him making him chuckle as he turned around to face it. "Oh-ho, you're first?" Jaune asked before smiling as he combined his sword and shield into his great sword. "Well alright!" Jaune said as he charged it.

On the tower, Ruby had blasted past Glynda almost instantly as she raced up the tower. Realizing that she would only waste time by trying to meet Ruby up at the top, Glynda stopped and used her powers to begin building the top of the tower.

 **-With Ruby-**

Jumping and spinning to the top in a vortex of red, Ruby landed as the top of the tower formed around her. Collapsing to her knees in exhaustion, Ruby held her burning chest tightly as her eyes began shining brightly as she wept in sorrow at the fact she had left Jaune alone without even his aura to protect him.

And who knows what happened to the others.

They all laid down their lives for her, she couldn't let their sacrifices go in vain. She swore she'd take back Beacon.

She'd take back everything!

" _ **AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"**_ Ruby screamed as everything went white.

 **-With Glynda-**

Glynda was forced to make a shield around herself as the tower was once more illuminated. However, instead of the emerald light she had become accustomed to back in the day, it was now releasing a silver light of unparalleled intensity. The sheer strength of it shattered her shield and sent her crashing back as a silver shockwave shot across Beacon and extended far into the city of Vale before continuing onwards towards the very edges of the destroyed Kingdom.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

 **BGM: END**

 **-Beacon Academy: Medical Wing-**

"Amazing! And the light is still being released?" Ren's voice asked as Ruby found herself returning to the realm of consciousness.

"Yes and it doesn't appear that it will die down any time soon. Not only that but there are no signs of Grimm in the Kingdom, in fact, The Grimm surrounding us seem almost scared to enter the Kingdom." Glynda answered as Ruby opened her eyes to find herself being held protectively by an unconscious Nora whom was covered in bandages.

"I'm not surprised, the Grimm thrive on negative emotions but you can _feel_ it can't you Glynda? The hope? The happiness? All these positive emotions being projected from that light. People are even being drawn to the Kingdom." Ren said before turning as he noticed Ruby opening her eyes. "Ruby, welcome back."

"R-Ren…Where's J-Jaune?" Ruby asked tiredly as she gently pried herself free of Nora's grip. Ren smile and gestured to a bed next to her's where an unconscious Jaune was lying. "Is…Is he?"

"Yes…" Ren said making her eyes widen in horror. "I mean he's alive." Ren corrected hastily. "Apologies, I thought you were asking if he were alive."

"This is why you let people finish their questions, Ren." Nora said sleepily as she opened her eyes and Ren had the decency to look embarrassed.

"Thank you…thank you." Ruby repeated quietly as she cried tears of joy. Her friends made it out alive…but what about the others? "And the people who came with us?"

"Only eleven remain." Ren said quietly making her close her eyes in sorrow. "But they are alive because of you. You steeled your emotions and did what needs to be done. You've turned not just Beacon but Vale as a whole into a safe haven. As we speak individuals are coming to Vale for protection. There is a crowd that is only growing in number every day outside waiting to hear about your status." Ren said before placing a hand on her shoulder. "You did good."

"Indeed, she has." Another voice spoke up making Glynda, Ren, and Nora, all grit their teeth as Ruby looked up to see Ironwood standing in the room. "And now I can make sure we win this battle. I can guide us to victory–"

"You're the main reason we fell in the first place!" Nora snapped and it chilled Ruby as she had never heard Nora remotely this angry before, there was so much…malice in her words that is felt completely unnatural to hear them from her friend.

"I made a mistake–"

"You made _countless_ mistakes, James." Glynda said coolly as her eyes narrowed. "You are the last person who needs to be attempting to make a power grab."

"Then who would you have lead? These…these children?" James asked angrily.

"These _children_ have done more good than you have your entire career!" Glynda snapped making him flinch slightly before she released a tired sigh. "There comes a point when every generation has to sit back and let the next one handle things. It's no longer our world, it's theirs and we screwed it up for them. Let them fix it and hopefully be generous enough to give us a part in it."

"Glynda you sound just like _him."_ James said as he shook his head. "Who will lead out of them?"

"Me." Ruby said quietly but firmly gaining both of their attention. James looked at her skeptically but Glynda had a small look of pride.

"You? You're nowhere near ready for that much responsibility. Do you understand just how much it would take, girl?' James asked with a frown making Ruby glare at him.

Now she knew why Qrow didn't really like this man.

"I may be a young woman but I'll still beat you if you want to sit here and have a contest measuring di–"

"Ms. Rose! Please…" Glynda interrupted the angered Ruby's tirade though everyone could clearly see the amusement in Glynda's eyes. "Unfortunately, James is right. You aren't ready." Glynda said making Ruby look at her hurt as James smirked. "Yet." Glynda added wiping the smirk form James' face. "One year, give us one year and we will make an Empress out of this huntress."

"Surely you're joking–"

"Not at all. I have personally watched Ruby grow from an adventurous girl to an excellent woman that has earned my respect. In fact, my respect for her even succeeds the amount I had for Summer." Glynda said making Ruby and her friends' eyes widen, not knowing Glynda was capable of giving out _that much_ praise. "It will not be easy, it will not be fun, but I believe Ruby can become who we need, who she was meant to be. You just need to _have a little faith."_ Glynda said making James close his eyes as he clenched his fists.

"One year. That's all she gets." James said as he shook his head. "In the meantime, you and I can deal with getting some order amongst the people."

"Agreed." Glynda said as James left the room.

…

…

…

"What a _dick."_ Ren, Nora, Ruby, Glynda, and surprisingly now awake Jaune all said in unison before chuckling as they heard each other.

"So a year, huh?" Ruby asked as she turned to Glynda. "You can train me to lead, keep an eye on Iron Wood, and basically run a country at the same time?"

"I'm very good a multi-tasking." Glynda said as she adjusted her glasses. "But it's not leading I'm teaching you. You already have the important skills of being a good ruler down."

"What?" Ruby asked with a frown. "Then why do I need a year–"

"Your image is the problem." Glynda interrupted making Ruby pause as she looked down at herself before looking back up at Glynda. "Skill and image go hand in hand in nobility, Ruby. Why else do you think someone like James can get as far as he had with his average at best leading skills? He looked the part and carries himself in a way that demands respect." Glynda explained. "You can walk the walk, but now you need to learn how to talk the talk."

…

…

…

"This is going to involve heels, isn't it?" Ruby asked with a pout making Glynda nod solemnly. "We're doomed."

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Okay you need to learn how to operate in a social setting. Mr. Arc here will teach you how to dance, Ms. Valkyrie will teach you how to start a conversation, and Mr. Lie will teach you how to keep up said conversation." Glynda said as they stood in the old Ballroom of Beacon._

" _Looks like your days hanging with me at the punch bowl are over." Jaune joked making Ruby roll her eyes good-naturedly. "Now let's start. One, two three-ouch!" Jaune winced as Ruby practically speared his foot with her heel._

" _Sorry!" Ruby said looking horrified._

" _It-its fine-ow-just-ouch-one step-ouch, okay that was a toe." Jaune muttered as Ruby's face went as red as her cloak. "Good thing I heal so well."_

 _This was going to take a while._

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Ruby found herself going green as she stared at one of Ren's infamous juice concoctions as he wore an apron that said, 'Please do nothing to the chef'._

" _You must be able to eat or drinking anything with revulsion so that you don't run the risk of offending someone. Even if it tastes horrible, you must consume it with a smile." Glynda said as Ren leant down next to Ruby._

" _Don't worry, I added extra algae, should taste great–don't tell Glynda." Ren whispered conspiratorially Ruby went greener. With a trembling hand, Ruby picked up the glass and took a sip before Nora knowingly rushed over with a waste bin as Ruby threw it right back up._

" _Come on Vomit-girl, you can do it!" Jaune said with a laugh._

" _Why does it look the same coming out!?" Ruby asked in horror._

 _ ***Flash!***_

" _Still you aren't just an Empress, you're a huntress, a symbol of power so you cannot lack in your training." Glynda said as Nora wore her pink training gear, complete with a headband, and stretched before picking up her weapon. "From the crack of dawn till noon you will train with Ms. Valkyrie. You may eat and rest between noon and the evening unless something urgent happens and during the last two hours of this period your general education will be handled by Mr. Lie. Then from the evening till dawn you will perform your duties, listen to complaints, write laws etc., and for now continue your image training with us."_

" _Hold up, write laws!?" Ruby asked in confusion as Glynda dropped three empty thick books on the ground before her._

" _Behold an enemy viler than the Grimm, paperwork. New Kingdom, new laws, no one seems to have realized it yet but there is nothing they can currently do that will have them punished. If laws aren't put in place soon we may have total anarchy on our hands." Glynda said making Ruby pale. "No pressure."_

 _ ***Flash!***_

 **BGM: Where the Wind and Feathers Return-Radiant Historia OST**

" _Every day will be like this and no weekend breaks!?" Ruby exclaimed as she faced Jaune. Taking pity on her, Jaune managed to kidnap her from Glynda when the older woman wasn't looking and currently they were resting on the roof. "Why the hell do little girls want to do this when they grow up!? I…I can't do this, Jaune. I'm not cut out for this, Ironwood is right. I should just let him lead. I'm a failure."_

" _Hmm…nope." Jaune said simply making her gape at him._

" _Oh don't you dare, not on me you ass. Stop it."_

" _Nope." Jaune repeated with a smirk as she shut her eyes tightly. "You're an Empress now Ruby, you're not allowed to be a failure."_

" _I hate you so much."_

" _Nope." Jaune said with a chuckle. "You weren't a failure when we met, you haven't been a failure watching my back all of these years, so don't start thinking you are one now, not when we need you most. Know why?"_

" _Because it's not just about me." Ruby groaned making him nod._

" _You have a nation now, Ruby. Countless people placing their hope in you…hope that you can make this world a better place. I'm with you every step of the way, always have been always will be." Jaune said making her smile a bit. "These people deserve a great leader Ruby, and I think–no I know that's you." Jaune said quietly as he stared into her bright eyes. "I wish that that when you look in to my eyes that you could see what I see when I look at you."_

" _I may not be able to see that, Jaune, but I do see something in your eyes." Ruby said quietly surprising him._

" _Oh? What's that?"_

" _A future." Ruby whispered before she gently pressed her lips to his as he wrapped his strong arms around her and returned the kiss passionately. It was at that moment, under the light of the broken moon that Ruby had an epiphany._

 _She could do this._

 _For she truly understood now that she wasn't alone._

 **BGM: END**

 **-One Year Later: Coronation Day-**

 **BGM: All of you is all of me [EXTENDED]- No Game No Life OST**

So once more the four seasons came and they passed as they always did while the people grew anxious as laws and regulations were being passed and enforced by an unknown Empress and various people she had appointed to carryout protecting the citizens of this still unnamed Kingdom.

But one day everything changed.

Flags began to spring up around the country. Pitch black flags with a crimson rose shaped emblem embroidered on to them. Bells echoed throughout the former city of Vale as in the distance Beacon Academy opened its doors for the first time in over a year.

People attempted to pour in but luckily they were regulated by the guard, amongst the citizens was Ironwood, he was a bit awed at the interior of the old school. It had been completely transformed from an academy and in to a castle. At the end of the main room was a magnificent chair that left no question about whether or not it was throne it truly was.

 _ ***Flash***_

" _An Empress must be elegant." Glynda said as she zipped up the back of a white gown that had an embroidered rose on its left breast. Releasing the long black and red hair she had in her hand, Glynda let the silky hair fall to the middle of Ruby's back._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _And they gotta be strong!" Nora said with a grin as she strapped the folded Crescent Rose to Ruby's back._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Must never forget where they came from." Ren said as he handed Ruby her signature cloak. Her lips curled into a small smile when she saw that Ren had flawlessly patched it up._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _And needs a crown." Jaune said quietly getting their attention. Nora gasped as Ruby placed a hand over mouth as tears slid down her cheeks. Jaune simply raised the gold circlet that he had fashioned to look like Pyrrha's in his hands and gently placed it on her head as Glynda closed her eyes in sorrow. "She would have appreciated this." Jaune said before giving Ruby a said smile. "And she would have told you…"_

 _ ***Flash***_

Ironwood's eyes widened when a tall blonde man garbed in a suit of blinding white armor entered and stood on the right side of the throne. One of his armor clad hands, resting on the hilt of his sheathed blade as if waiting for a reason to draw it. His chest plate had a rose emblem on it.

"Do you see him!? That's _her_ shield! The Captain of the Knights. Always ready to protect those she cares about! Told you it wasn't a rumor." Someone said as the crowd whispered excitedly. The noise only increased with an orange haired woman entered. She had a bright smile, completely contrasting with the cold and calculating look on the man's face. Her orange hair was tied in to a pony tail. She had on considerably less armor, opting to settle for a chest plate with a heart shaped opening and armored plates cover her arms and legs and a single pauldron over her right shoulder that had a rose emblem.

"It's _her_ hammer!"

"What? You mean Valkyrie exists!? Scary!"

"I heard she took out one hundred Alpha Beowolves with one swing!"

"Wait! Look up there! Rose's shadow!"

Resting on a windowsill above and behind the throne was Ren. He had on even less armor than Nora deciding to wear a sleeveless green hooded top that had a single armored plate on his chest over his heart that bore the rose emblem. He now wore black slacks with matching shoes and fingerless gloves as well. His hood shadowed his face, but his piercing eyes easily shone through the darkness.

"Everyone, please settle down." Glynda commanded as she strode into the room and stood next to the throne while she faced the crowd. "Now I told you all that I was only in charge temporarily until a proper leader could be found. Well the wait is over, though, judging by the conversations you all seem to have a pretty good idea,

"Is it her? Is it Ruby? The one who reclaimed Beacon?" A voice questioned as many began to whisper excitedly. Due to not going out to face the public after the battle, those who heard about the battle were left to their own devices about how the battle went down.

Safe to say some of the theories tended to get pretty out there even for huntsmen's standards.

Still, Glynda didn't bother to clarify either. This was how myths and legends got started and Glynda knew that the overly heroic situations the people came up with on their own could only help Ruby and her cause. Granted the battle was not easy by any means and technically Ruby did vanquish hundreds of Grimm at once–

–Okay maybe looking back at it, that battle _might_ have been the stuff of legends.

"Now there are some of you who would prefer that someone older be given this position, more experienced…but I am here to tell you that despite not even being in her mid-twenties, this woman is more than adequate for the role." Glynda said firmly, conviction lacing her every word. So much so that even Ironwood had to pause. "I have personally watched this _woman_ fight on in the face of certain destruction since she was a _girl._ Those of us up here have fought alongside her and are willing to lay down our lives for her at her command."

Glynda's eyes narrowed as she zeroed in on Ironwood.

"She's fought this war long before many even knew there was a war going on. While my former colleagues and I foolishly tried to hide its existence from the public, she took it upon herself to fight on the frontlines." Glynda said as Ironwood averted his eyes. "She's lost her entire family to this battle and some of her dearest friends so please even if you doubt her, never doubt her conviction."

"Where is she?" Someone questioned as others began to murmur in agreement as they too wanted to know where Ruby was. It was at that moment a loud clacking could be heard echoing from a nearby corridor.

 _ **[And she would have told you…that you need to be confident.]**_

Ruby strode into the room calmly in confidently. Her expression was gentle but her eyes held a powerful resolve that the crowd just couldn't figure out. Those whom had seen her in her earlier travels or at least saw her in the Vytal festival all those years ago had trouble reconciling the image of that girl and the woman that was presented before them.

Even Ironwood could stop his jaw from going slightly slack.

Gone was the girl, the huntress-in-training, the explorer, and in her place was a woman, a full-fledged _huntress,_ and an Empress. Ruby placed her cloak over the armrest of her throne and removed her weapon, leaning it on the side of the throne before she herself finally sat on it and looked out at the gathered individuals warmly.

"Thank you all for gathering here, it makes me very happy to see that so many individuals wish to see me. I appreciate your time and I hope I do not waste it." Ruby said with a radiant smile no trace of awkwardness could be found despite her talking to such a large group or as her voice was being projected throughout the kingdom. "Let's get down to business, shall we? As you can tell this building has been redesigned…but it has _not_ been repurposed." Ruby said confusing many of them. "Though myself and my…Knights…will live here in our private quarters, this is still a school. As of today I am officially reopening Beacon Academy."

Now THAT was completely unexpected.

"Look at their faces." Nora said with a chuckle as Jaune smiled a bit to himself as he gazed out at the shocked crowd. Immediately, people began asking questions but Ruby managed to silence them after a raising a hand, showing that she wished to speak.

"Tell me, do you believe in destiny?" Ruby asked as she glanced out at the crowd. "I don't. Not entirely. I believe we make our own. Our enemy, Salem, believes mankind's destiny is to be consumed by the Grimm. Yet…here we are…and here we will continue to be so long as we never lose hope. So long as we stand together and not be divided by what old kingdom we once hailed from, our social class, or even our species we will never fall."

The room was silent.

"Today I will personally interview with any former Huntsmen who would like to become faculty. As for students we will have as many students as we have free rooms and once those are filled up, we will begin planning the location for more schools across the Kingdom. Those of you who enroll, know this, you are our last line of defense. I will not lie to you, the second you sign up you will be considered a soldier." Ruby said honestly. "I wish I could ease you into this, but this is w _ar_ and we cannot afford to hold your hands."

Ruby then chuckled at that moment.

"A wise man once that one day out there in the real world was worth more than a week learning within these walls and he was right. Now, however, it is my goal to reverse that. It won't be easy, it will not be pleasant, but believe me when I say you will be able to survive when everything is said and done." Ruby said as her eyes shone a bit as they narrowed slightly as her expression hardened ever so slightly. "I'd rather you be alive and hate me than dead respecting me. After our enemies fall we can discuss toning it down a bit. Now on to other potential concerns–"

"Will you be creating a council?" Ironwood questioned suddenly.

"No. I have a more than adequate advisor." Ruby said as she gestured towards Glynda before gesturing to her friends. "And I have my Knights. They will give me support and different inputs and perspectives, but I answer to _no one._ The council system is one of the reasons the former kingdoms fell in the first place."

"But what system will limit you power? How can we trust you with so much?" Ironwood challenged.

"This is a monarchy not a dictatorship." Ruby said patiently.

"Is there _really_ a difference?"

"Yes, I won't have synthetic soldiers hunting down people I swore to protect. I won't be stupid enough to have my entire army in one spot to be wiped out. I can be subtle whereas a dictator has to show off their power to people who don't care just to sleep better at night." Ruby said calmly though each word came out of her mouth like steel and made the former General flinch especially people began to murmur and glare at him. "And I have enough respect for my people to listen to children whom say something is amiss. No matter how absurd it is, I will at least look it over. Is that all, Ironwood?"

For once, James Ironwood had nothing left to say.

"Now…any questions?" Ruby asked politely to the crowd whom immediately got loud as they all attempted to speak at the same time.

 **-That Night: Beacon: Courtyard-**

"One hectic day down, countless more to go." Ruby said as she and Jaune strolled through the courtyard. "I'm still a little overwhelmed…but…it seems possible now. Looking back on it, now that I am here, I wonder why I was so scared."

"Well you're different now Ruby. It's only been a year but who you are now and who you were then is as different as night and day." Jaune said as he gave her a kind smile. "And who you are now will be different than who you will be later. You're still growing as a person, we all are, even Glynda. I don't believe you ever actually stop. That alone is a cause for excitement. Do not be anxious of the future, anticipate it. Look forward to seeing just who you become."

"That was…very profound, Jaune." Ruby said making him chuckle.

"Like I said, still growing. I'll be growing right alongside you-every step of the way, your highness." Jaune said with a wink before laughing a bit when Ruby gave him a playful shove.

"Don't you dare, in front of the citizens is one thing but not when we're alone." Ruby said as she stopped and looked up at him as she placed a hand on his chest plate. "I don't care what happens, you will always be my vomit-boy understood?"

"Your will is my command, Empress Crater-Face." Jaune said with a grin as she pouted. "Come on, Ruby. We have an exciting future ahead of us." Jaune continued as he wrapped an arm around her waist and held her close while she rested her head on his side.

And exciting it was.

Days turned into weeks, weeks into months, and months into years as the Kingdom of Rose not only survived…but _thrived._ Under Ruby's rule it expanded far outside its boundaries as mankind finally went on the offensive and took back what was theirs. One by one the fallen Kingdoms were reclaimed as their forces grew.

Vacuo

Atlas

The Menagerie

And hell even Mantle

All had been reclaimed by Ruby and her forces as they pushed back the Grimm and the traitorous Faunus whom still could not see the light. In the end, Ruby had forced Salem to take refuge in Mistral and with nowhere left for her to run it was obvious that the final battle was soon upon them.

 **BGM: END**

 **-With Salem-**

" _ **Over and over…and over and over I had constantly warned you about humanity and yet you…you let this happen."**_ Salem snarled before suddenly grabbing Cinder tightly around her throat and lifting her up effortlessly into the air. _**"I should kill you now like you should have done her."**_ Salem said as Cinder thrashed in her grip. _**"Your arrogance cost me everything. And it haunts you doesn't it? She plagues your every thought. Killing you in the end would just give her more power!"**_ Salem said before viciously throwing Cinder into the ground with enough force to make it crack as Emerald and Mercury knelt before her with their heads bowed.

"M-Ma'am, what should we do?" Emerald asked hesitantly, not wanting to draw the sinister woman's ire to herself.

" _ **This Empress has become a Beacon of hope for her people, I will snuff it out personally."**_ Salem said with a sneer as she strode past them. _**"She thinks she's safe in that castle, but she's not, use the information you have gathered to take out that tower. Once it's gone, I will strike her down myself and decimate that academy once and for all!"**_ Salem boomed as Cinder held her throat and struggled to stand up.

 **-Meanwhile: Beacon-**

"And you're positive she will fall for it?" Ruby asked as she and her comrades stood around a war table.

"They have been pushed into a corner and the tower is the most obvious target." Jaune explained before glancing towards Ren. "Ren says he's spotted Emerald lurking around."

"Indeed, and rather than deal with her, I felt as though she could be used for our advantage. I've had my men take on a rather…predictable schedule when guarding the tower. Emerald will use what she believes to be a gap in their patrol to take down the tower." Ren explained as Ruby looked at him with a frown.

"And we let her?"

"Exactly, Ruby. We need that bitch as confident as possible, as arrogant as possible, to deal with her. She has _no_ idea just how strong you are now. Salem will come at you personally and you will face her. This is the battle you've been waiting for your whole life and Glynda will be there with you." Jaune said with a nod. "Ren will deal with Emerald, he's the best counter we have against her with his stealth and Nora will take on Mercury."

"I'll break his legs!" Nora said with a vicious grin making Ruby chuckle.

"Please do, then break the rest of him." Ruby ordered making Nora nod, grin widening. "What about you Jaune?"

"I will be acquiring you even more power." Jaune said confusing her. "I will take on Cinder and I'll make sure her power goes to you when she falls. You, her power, and Glynda there is no reason for you to lose this battle."

"And you are positive you have enough strength to face her?" Ruby asked calmly though one could see the concern in her silver eyes.

"I've been training for years for this very moment. Honing my defense to take whatever she could possibly dish out. I will not lie to you, Ruby, my motive is revenge." Jaune admitted as he tightened his grip around the hilt of his sheathed weapon. "No one gets away with hurting my team."

"Jaune…" Ruby said quietly before her eyes hardened. "Make that bitch pay. I want her to scream, Jaune."

"Oh she will." Jaune said as he tapped the side of his weapon. "There is a reason this thing is called Crocea Mors, you know."

"Get some rest, Ruby." Glynda said as she turned to the Empress. "Everything ends tomorrow, for better or for worse."

This was it.

After all of these years.

The final battle was among them.

 **-The Next Morning: Beacon: Tower-**

 **BGM: Honor For All- Dishonored OST**

Emerald quietly moved through out the top of the tower, placing small explosives on the gears as she tried to shield her eyes from the blinding light being released. Finally after what felt like forever, she stepped back and held up a small detonator.

"This will signal the attack." Emerald muttered as placed her thumb on the button. Her hand trembled a bit as she contemplated truly going through with it. The Kingdom was beautiful, the people she saw were truly happy. She had done many things she was not proud of but could she truly do this? Forsake her entire species for own selfish needs? The hope she felt the closer she got to the light made her pause and truly evaluate her life.

Was it worth it in the end?

"…This kingdom has no place for me. Not after what I've done." Emerald rationalized as she forced herself to press the button.

 ***BOOOOOM!***

She closed her eyes tightly when the light shone even brighter than ever before it quickly died down as the large gears fell down around her. Releasing a long breath, she shook her head as she began to walk away.

"…You made the wrong choice." Ren's voice echoed from all around her making her pause as her crimson eyes widened suddenly. "

"What, who's there!?" Emerald shouted as she drew her weapons and looked around her.

"Did you think we weren't on to you? Extinguishing the light did not just signal your army, it signaled ours as well." Ren continued as a bead of sweat slid down her face as her blood chilled.

"A trap." Emerald realized as her hands trembled a bit.

"You're a predictable one, but then again that's why you're not the thinker isn't it?" Ren continued to taunt as explosions and war cries rung out in the distance as human, Faunus, and Grimm all found their selves locked in mortal combat. "The world has not been a kind one to you…and now I see why." Ren said making Emerald gasp as his voice sounded eerily close.

Emerald paled.

For standing behind her was Ren with his back to her.

"You know what's going to happen to you, right?" Ren questioned as he stood with his hands in his pockets while glanced back at her with magenta eyes that lacked any sort of mercy.

"Y-yes…"

"Will you fight back?" Ren questioned curiously.

"Yes!" Emerald shouted as she spun around only to find him missing, paling she spun around just in time to see a green blade rising towards her.

 _ ***SHING!***_

She barely managed to dodge as the blade of his right StormFlower cut through her aura and grazed her cheek as she jumped back glared at him as he simply turned to face her.

"You've already lost." Ren said matter-of-factly as she stared into his eyes.

She barely managed to dodge as the blade of his right StormFlower cut through her aura and grazed her cheek as she jumped back glared at him as he simply turned to face her.

"You've already lost." Ren said matter-of-factly as she stared into his eyes.

"Like hell!" Emerald shouted as she cast an illusion on him before charging forward. However, once she got close enough a storm of bullets slammed into her back sending her crashing through his image. "H-how?" Emerald gasped out as she turned around only to freeze when she saw dozens of copies of the man surrounding her as the scenery distorted.

"Do you like it? It's my own special recipe. A unique poison I've concocted and tried to perfect over the years." Ren said calmly. "Potent enough to eat through aura and once it enters the bloodstream it immediately begins to get to work. Stage one is hallucinations, you simply see things that aren't."

"No…" Emerald whispered as she felt her body begin to get cold and stiffen up.

"After that is paralysis. It starts at your hands and feet and slowly makes its way through the rest of your body." Ren continued before frowning slightly. "The last stage is where I have trouble for you see, it's far too inhumane. You will begin to feel as though your skin is on fire as the hallucinations become much more… _ **nightmarish."**_ Ren's voice seemed to darken to Emerald as his image faded while her surroundings shifted until she found herself back in her hometown, on the streets, forced to watch her terrible childhood. _**"You'll want to scream, to cry, but at this point your throat as swollen shut…but you won't suffocate, no, your heart will be what goes first."**_ Ren said as she was forced to watch her most painful memories come to life.

 **BGM: END**

 **-A bit Earlier: In the Capital City-**

"Hmm, she succeeded." Cinder mused as she ran forward with Mercury and dozens of Faunus.

"Good, this should be easy then–"

 _ ***FLASH!***_

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOOOOOM!***_

 **BGM: Uncontrollable- Xenoblade Chronicles OST**

Mercury was cut off when a pink lightning bolt slammed into the ground and released a shockwave that sent him and Cinder skidding back as their men were blown backwards. When the resulting smoke died down they could see Jaune and Nora standing before them as their soldiers stormed into the area.

"Jaune?" Nora asked curiously as his eyes zeroed in on the scowling Cinder.

"No survivors." Jaune ordered making her nod as her weapon shifted into its hammer form.

"Gotcha, but what's the plan–?"

"Nora…just use the damn hammer." Jaune drawled as he strolled forward making her blink before a vicious grin split her face as her eyes filled with electricity when she turned to face Mercury.

"Got it." Nora said before charging forward at Mercury like a woman possessed.

"Wait, what!?" Mercury asked in confusion as Nora leapt in the air while gathering power in her hammer.

"I'm going to break your legs!" Nora declared loudly as she descended upon him. Thinking fast, Mercury jumped back just as the weapon made contact with the ground he was previously occupying.

 _ ***KABOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

" _Fuck! It was a trap!"_ Mercury thought angrily as he noticed how prepared the Kingdom was for their invasion.

The ground shock as a powerful shockwave decimated the streets. Cinder sneered as she flew back while soldiers from both sides retreated a bit to avoid being caught in the battle.

 _ ***KRANNG!***_

Cinder's eyes widened slightly when instead of retreating, Jaune raised his shield and stormed through the shockwave and charged at her.

"You're not getting out of this alive." Jaune swore as he leapt up towards her. Instantly, Cinder released a stream of fire at him as both of her eyes ignited with power. To her dismay, Jaune simply blocked the attack with his shield before he was knocked back onto a nearby roof. His cape billowed behind him as his entire body seemed to emit a white light before he once more jumped at her.

" _That boy…"_ Cinder thought angrily as she vaguely recalled Jaune in his youth having trouble reconciling the weakling with the armored man before her.

 **-Meanwhile: Beacon-**

Ruby slept quietly on her throne, legs propped over her arm rest, as the main doors slowly opened as Salem strolled into the throne room with a cloaked figure.

" _ **Sleeping as her nation crumbles, such arrogance."**_ Salem muttered as her hand was covered by a sinister black energy for a second before a pitch black spike shot from her palm and raised towards the sleeping Ruby. However, when the spike was a mere centimeter from Ruby's chest, the Empress vanished in a swirl of rose petals. _**"What!?"**_ Salem explained as the tell-tale sound of a weapon shifting echoed behind her making her glance back just in time to see Ruby descending upon her mid-swing with Crescent Rose.

 _ ***Bang!***_

 _ ***BOOOM!***_

After using the recoil to increase the speed of her strike, Ruby narrowed her silver eyes slightly with Salem managed to block the blade of her weapon with her palm. Salem's cloaked companion turned around instantly but before they could do anything they found themselves being flung out of the battlefield and through a wall which sent them crashing outside of the Academy.

"Your battle is with me." Glynda said simply as she strode towards the hole. "Do be careful, Empress."

"Of course," Ruby said before releasing a shot from her weapon which sent her blasting back away from Salem. "It's time we settled this." Ruby said as her eyes were engulfed with blinding white lights while Salem glared at her, her crimson irises burning brightly.

" _ **Indeed."**_

 **-Tower-**

Ren was racing back to the Academy when he saw some of his subordinates attempting to shoot down a dragon-like Grimm that was headed towards Beacon. Frowning to himself, Ren leapt off of the side of the tower up towards the large Grimm.

 _ ***RATATATATATATATATA!***_

The Dragon screeched when he managed to shoot out two of its eyes before flipping and landing on its back. Wasting no time, Ren began running across the back of the large Grimm slicing it rapidly with the blades of his StormFlower.

" _Really hope the others are having an easier time than me."_ Ren thought before he found himself skydiving off of the tail of the Dragon.

 **-With Mercury-**

" _This is not good!"_ Mercury thought as he attempted to land a drop-kick on Nora only for her to block his leg with the handle of Magnhild. Thinking quickly, Mercury released a shot and shot back in time to avoid a lightning covered fist to the face. A bead of sweat slid down his face as he could still feel the wind from the blow despite being meters away.

 ***BOOM!***

Using the recoil from her hammer, Nora shot towards him and attempted to once more slam her hammer into him only for him to duck as it hit the side of a building.

 _ ***FABOOOOOOOM!***_

Mercury felt a chill go down his spine as Nora causally wiped the building behind him out of existence. It would be one thing if she had been a slow fighter while packing that much power. Her Semblence, however, gave her a speed which made her second only to Ruby herself, allowing her to not only match Mercury but in some instances even surpass him. Realizing he'd need to be even faster to avoid ending up a stain on the streets, he pushed his legs to their absolute limits. Nora's eyes widened a bit when she saw his sudden increase in speed before smirking as she rose to the challenged and absorbed even more electricity from the ground and into her muscles.

"Let's see how long you can keep up!" Nora challenged, electricity coursing over her body, before blasting forward at him.

 **-With Jaune-**

 _ ***Rumble***_

A literal storm surrounded him and Cinder before he was forced to dive to the ground and roll forward to avoid being struck down by lightning. Cinder suddenly formed a bow out of glass before releasing three arrows at Jaune whom quickly raised his shield to block the arrows. Cinder narrowed her eyes as the arrows shattered on top of his shield. The shards flew past him before reforming and slamming into his sides.

 _ ***FABOOOOOM!***_

"Hmph, ironic. Fell for the same thing your partner did." Cinder muttered as she stared at the smoke cloud.

 _ ***RIIIINGGGGG!***_

"What!?" Cinder asked in confusion as the concussive force of the explosion was somehow redirected at her while Jaune charge out of the cloud not only unscathed but looking even healthier than before. "You dare!?" Cinder asked angrily once she recovered before releasing a storm of arrows at him, all of which were reflected back at her making her grit her teeth angrily. "I am practically a god…" Cinder began as she flew up above him while the storm intensified. "And you, nothing more than a man with a sword and shield, think you can stand up to me!?"

"Wouldn't be here if I didn't." Jaune said as he raised his shield in anticipation for her next move.

 **BGM: END**

 **-With Ruby-**

 **This Will Be the Day (Casey & Jeff Williams)- RWBY OST**

 _ ***Clang!***_

 _ ***Clang!***_

 _ ***BOOOOM!***_

 _ ***CLANG!***_

 _ ***SHING!***_

" _ **Hmm…"**_ Salem muttered as she used her powers to block attacks that no mortal eyes could ever hope to track. Raising her hand, she knocked back Ruby's attack, making the Empress land and slide back with so much force that her heels tore up the ground.

 _ ***Pop***_

 _ ***Pop***_

At that moment the very back of her heels popped off, revealing two very sharp blades. Appearing before Salem instantly, Ruby raised her right leg and delivered a countless number of kicks into Salem's body, her leg leaving nothing but after images in its wake.

" _ **GNH!"**_ Salem grunted as she was knocked back from the assault. _**"So…like that fool Ozpin, you too practice in time dilation?"**_ Salem wondered before smirking as she raised her hands, causing a large crimson eye-shaped seal to appear on the ground. _**"There, that should prevent–"**_

 _ ***BANG!***_

Salem was cut off when Ruby shot her in the face before reappearing behind her in a swirl of rose petals. Without warning, Ruby performed a gruesome combination of attacks with her scythe on the wicked woman. The sheer number of attacks could not even hope to be counted as they were delivered at a speed which was quite frankly humbling.

" _ **I-impossible…"**_ Salem gasped out in pain before she was sent slamming into a wall on her back. A black and red-blood like substance shot from her mouth as she slowly slid down the wall. _**"U-unless…it's not time-dilation…h-how…how are you THAT fast!?"**_ Salem questioned angrily making Ruby smirk before the evil woman exploded in power. _**"I will not be made a fool of by a child!"**_

"I'm twenty-eight. How is that a child?" Ruby asked sounding a bit annoyed as she gripped her scythe tightly.

 **-With Glynda-**

The blonde was having a hard time dealing with her opponent whom managed to slip away from each of her attacks at the last minute. Gritting her teeth, Glynda whipped her riding crop in front of her swiftly causing the ground to break apart and slam into the cloaked figure, whom winced in pain after finally being hit as their cloak was completely shredded.

"How?" Glynda whispered as the ground trembled from the growing intensity of the battle between Ruby and Salem. Standing before Glynda was a shorter pink and brown haired woman with mismatched irises. "I thought you were dead." Glynda muttered as the short woman said nothing. Slowly she stood up, holding a black and red dagger that had an eye shaped emblem on its blade. Whipping her crop downwards, Glynda tore off a large chunk of the building and slammed it into her opponent only for her to suddenly shatter like glass making Glynda pale. "Oh no." Glynda whispered before rushing back into the academy.

 **-With Ruby-**

" _ **This is not a story that will have a happy ending. You will fall, and mankind will go with you!"**_ Salem shouted making Ruby glare but before she could respond…

 _ ***SCHTICK***_

 **BGM: END**

"*GAK!* W-hat *cough*." Ruby painfully forced out when a blade and red blade stabbed through her back and pierced her heart causing blood to spill from her lips while the light in her eyes flickered. Glynda barely made it in before falling to her knees as a surge of pain ripped through her.

"No…Ruby…" Glynda whispered as she looked up at the horrible sight.

Weakly, Ruby glanced back to find the smirking woman twist the blade roughly sending a wave of pain through her body as she dropped her weapon.

"N-Neo….how…" Ruby gasped out.

" _ **Shame, you were a surprisingly skilled opponent."**_ Salem mused as she glided towards the trembling Ruby. _**"But no one can survive a destroyed heart, no matter how skilled or how powerful. Perhaps if you had enough Aura you could maybe fight on…but alas you are but a mortal at the end of the day. Silver eyes or not."**_ Salem said as Ruby fell to her knees while Glynda's eyes widened suddenly.

 _ ***Flashback***_

" _Look, I won't take no for an answer. This is an order." Ruby said as she gazed at her frowning knights. "I want you safe, you all will take a little to ensure your safety."_

" _Ruby you need every bit of your aura for that battle." Jaune argued making Ruby raise a hand to silence him._

" _I have aura to spare and besides the faster you all finish your battles, the faster you can give me a hand." Ruby reasoned making Jaune's frown deepen._

 _ ***Flashback: End***_

Gritting her teeth, Glynda held her sides as her glasses shattered when a white light was released from her now silver eyes.

 **BGM: Beauty of Destiny- Persona 4 The Animation OST**

" _ **What!?"**_ Salem questioned angrily as Glynda was engulfed with a white aura. Suddenly, it all poured out from her body and formed an ethereal form of Ruby above her. Before anyone could do a thing, the glowing image of Ruby slammed into the Empress' body as Glynda's eyes returned to normal as she found herself completely drained. Ruby's eyes regained their determination as she suddenly gripped her weapon and spun around, dagger still inside her causing a red light to be emitted from her chest.

 **-Ruby's Mindscape-**

"Come on honey…not yet, just hold on a little longer Ruby." A heavenly voice pleaded as Ruby opened her eyes to find herself being cradled by her mother as they were surrounded by various silver-eyed huntsmen.

"It hurts." Ruby whispered as tears filled her eyes.

"I know baby, but just a longer, you can't rest just yet. You need to end this cycle of hate." Summer said quietly as Ruby shut her eyes.

 **-Beacon-**

 _ ***SHING!***_

Before anyone could register what happened, Neo suddenly found her body ripped in two courtesy of the powerful swing from Ruby.

"I will save my people...this story will have a happy ending or at least one without you…bet on that!" Ruby roared as she charged forward, her cloak suddenly turning bright white, and continued her battle with the shocked Salem while white rose petals blew around the room.

" _ **How…how are you this strong even on death's doorstep!?"**_ Salem questioned angrily as she found herself once more locked in combat with Ruby. _**"You're going to die anyway and you're still fighting!?"**_

"I have nothing left to lose!" Ruby shouted stunning Salem who realized Ruby was right. Ruby was going to die anyway, no longer would she have to fear taking damage, if anything the Empress could fight even more reckless than before.

 **-With Nora-**

Nora had suddenly frozen when a surge of pain ripped through her body. Seeing this, Mercury decided to capitalize on this moment and charged forward to deliver a powerful round house kick to Nora who's right hand was clutching her hammer so tightly, that blood began to seep from her hand.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

" _W-what did she bait me!?"_ Mercury thought in confusion as Nora used her left hand to _tear_ through his legs. His eyes widened in confusion as Nora's now livid face had twin trails of tears cascading down her face.

 _ ***BOOOM!***_

Using the recoil of her hammer, Nora spun around and slammed her weapon into the bottom of Mercury's chin as large amounts of electricity from her body and their surroundings gathered onto her hammer. Mercury's aura had completely shattered the moment the hammer made contact.

 _ ***KRACKA-BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

Mercury's eardrum exploded from the sheer sound of the explosion as Nora released and anguished scream before his body was sent _rocketing_ into the air. Mercury's body flipped uncontrollably as he shot through the clouds with enough force to part them. Eventually Mercury slammed into something hard that stopped his ascent. Mercury could only watch in confusion as his final sight was that of the entirety of Remnant surrounded by a black void while his body was _embedded_ on the moon.

Back on Remnant, Nora gritted her teeth as she forced her body to keep moving back towards Beacon while she forced Ruby's aura from her body and back to its rightful owner. Soldiers, friend and foe alike, backed away from her in fear after the awe-inspiring display of pure power and rage.

 **-Earlier: With Ren-**

Ren's eyes widened in alarm at the burning sensation in his chest before gritting his teeth as he suddenly spun and dove into the dragon's mouth, his body glowing bright white as his eyes went silver. Ren tore apart the monstrous Grimm from the inside out before ripping free from its stomach. Landing on a rooftop, Ren didn't even look back at the falling Grimm as he released whatever he had left of Ruby's aura causing his magenta eyes to return.

 **-Earlier: With Jaune-**

Jaune gritted his teeth as he was forced to block a massive beam of pure energy from the enraged Cinder while the building below him was about to collapse. It was at that moment, however, that an unmistakable pain shot through his heart.

"No…not again." Jaune muttered, his eyes flashing silver for a bit as he found the strength to spring to his feet.

 _ ***RIIIINGG!***_

"WHAT!?" Cinder questioned angrily as she was suddenly overpowered when her attack was redirected back at her effortlessly. Her aura vanished completely when she took the full brunt of her attack. Her badly burned body fell to the rooftop as Jaune strolled towards her. Cinder tried to crawl away but was stopped when Jaune stood before her and aimed his sword down at her.

"Do you believe in irony?" Jaune questioned calmly making her glare at him. "That was for my partner, and this is for Ruby." Jaune said making her eyes widened a bit as she thought of the silver-eyed woman that had been plaguing her thoughts.

It was at that moment, Jaune took off her head.

Jaune forced Ruby's aura from his body while Cinder's maiden powers left hers. He watched in satisfaction as both energies departed in the same direction.

"Hold on, Ruby, I'm coming." Jaune muttered before dashing off towards Beacon despite his exhaustion.

 **BGM: END**

 **-With Ruby-**

 **His Theme (Slow Build Up Loop) Extended- Undertale OST**

" _ **No…no…this isn't possible!"**_ Salem shrieked as Ruby tore through and over powered her attacks while her aura returned to her. However, soon after the last bit of it returned, Ruby felt a foreign surge of strength as she felt a brand burn itself into her back. Salem actually trembled as the white light being released from the Empress' eyes gained an orange flaming outline as Ruby dropped her weapon and simply floated up as the pressure of her power forced Salem down to her knees. _**"This…this isn't fair… it's not fair! Why do you get to have all that power!?"**_

" _ **You think this is power?"**_ Ruby asked quietly, almost sadly as she floated down in front of Salem. _**"Of course you do, then again you are someone who's never truly faced death."**_

" _ **What nonsense are you talking about!?"**_

" _ **It's only when facing death that you honestly understand things. You, who have run away from it, cannot possibly understand. Death is like the ultimate hindsight and it is only now…now that I understand what power is."**_ Ruby said as she placed a hand on Salem's head as she smiled down at the evil woman. _**"Using this strength to kill you isn't power, using it to save you-however-is."**_

" _ **What-"**_

 _ ***FLASH!***_

Salem gasped as her vision went completely white just as she heard the sounds of Beacon's doors being blown open while people shouted the Empress' name. Salem felt the bindings in her hair break off as her very body felt as though it were on fire.

"Ruby?...RUBY!"

That was the last thing Salem heard before losing consciousness.

 **-Later-**

Weakly, Salem opened her eyes and found herself lying on the cold unforgiving floor of Beacon naked as Nora, Ren, and Glynda stood sadly over the dying form of Ruby who was being cradled in Jaune's arms.

"Is…is it over?" Ruby asked tiredly, dark rings surrounding her eyes as Jaune nodded his head.

"Yeah…it is. You did it Crater Face." Jaune said with a smile which she tried to return before coughing up blood.

"Did everyone survive…?"

"There were a few casualties, I won't lie to you–I never would, not even now, but the vast majority came out of this. Not only that, but the Grimm are gone Ruby, all of them." Jaune said as Ren held a sobbing Nora quietly.

"But people still fell…I knew I wasn't cut out for this…" Ruby said making him frown.

"Ruby, do you not understand? If _anyone_ else attempted what you had, by taking charge, _no one_ would have survived. You are the best ruler our people have ever witnessed." Jaune said as tears slid down his cheeks. "Don't belittle yourself Ruby, for once, just see what we see whenever we look at you."

"You're so kind…all of you are…but for once I wish… _ **I wish**_ you could see the world that I do, a world where I am better, where I wasn't late, where I managed to save everyone." Ruby said quietly as she cried. "But you can't see that world, I was too weak to show you–"

"Ruby." Jaune said as he wiped her tears away while the light died in her eyes. "Ruby, stay with me, please don't go Ruby. Ruby!" Jaune shouted as Glynda quietly placed a comforting hand on his shoulder as he bowed his head.

 _ ***Crack***_

Jaune's head snapped up suddenly when Ruby's body began to crack and breakdown as a silver liquid slid out from the corner of her eyes.

"What?" Ren asked in confusion as the liquid began to glow as Ruby's body began to break down and dissolved into the bright silver pool.

"Jaune, step back." Glynda warned as she quickly pulled Jaune away from Ruby's body. "What on earth is going on?"

"Her last wish." Salem answered as she weakly stood up getting their attention as she bowed her head, her hair shadowing her face.

"You–!" Jaune began angrily as he unsheathed his blade while she weakly raised a hand in front of her. His companions all readied their weapons, prepared to take her out once and for all.

"Please, wait. I know I have no right to ask, but give me one minute to explain. I understand you wish to strike me down, I honestly wish you would to be honest." Salem said quietly as she held her side.

"What?" Glynda asked with a frown.

"I…I wanted power, but I lost myself to it. That woman…that woman freed me when she could have easily struck me down, she showed me what real power was…let me at least pay it forward before I die." Salem said quietly as she raised her hands showing that she wasn't going to attempt anything. "Look into the pool, what do you see?" Salem asked as they looked at her suspiciously before glancing down at the liquid…their eyes collectively widened when they images of their youth flashing in the pool.

"W-what?" Jaune asked quietly.

"Her last wish. She wanted you to see a world where she was better. What that resulted in was a portal…a portal back before things reached this point, how far back I do not know. Take this opportunity, go back and save her. Please." Salem said quietly as her body shook with sobs while she held herself tight. "Not just her, as many people as you can from my destruction…you have to hurry before the pool dries up."

"And how, exactly, do you know all this?" Glynda asked suspiciously making Salem tense before slowly raising her head making them gasp in the process.

"Let's just say I have my ways." Salem said as she stared back at them with bright silver eyes. "You all must go back and stop me."

"Wait, if what you claim is true. Why not come with us and stop your plans?" Ren asked with a frown making her shake her head.

"Taking that portal will send you back into whatever body you have at that time. Going back even a mere hour will send me back into that Grimm corrupted body and change me. You'd have to deal with not only that horrible version of myself, but a version that knows the future as well." Salem explained making them shudder. "I know you don't trust me, you have every reason not to…so please…kill me and then go. That way you won't have to worry about me doing anything as soon as you leave."

"Jaune?" Nora asked their leader whom frowned in thought before walking towards Salem.

"Should you be misleading us, I will see you in Hell…but if you are telling the truth…I will make your death quick before we go back." Jaune said making her smile a bit.

"That's all I can ask." Salem said before glancing at his sword. "Crocea Mors? That thing is still around after all of these years…how fitting. A relic slain by a relic." Salem said as a tear slid down from her eye before Jaune rammed his sword through her chest and twisted it. "Thank…you...n-now s-save her." Salem pleaded as Jaune ripped the blade free before turning around and rushing towards the pool.

"Jaune?" Ren asked in confusion.

"If there is even a one percent chance she spoke the truth we need to take it as a guarantee, she needs us!" Jaune said before jumping head first into the pool which was beginning to dry up.

 _ ***SPLASH!***_

"Of all the reckless…" Glynda muttered before shaking her head and following after him. Ren and Nora looked at each other before holding each other's hands.

"Nora…" Ren began making his friend nod.

"I know. If we actually do go back, we have years of dates to catch up on!" Nora said with a nervous grin before they both jumped into the pool which vanished nearly immediately after they departed.

"Godspeed." Salem gasped out, blood pouring from the corner of her mouth as reality itself began to breakdown around her. "Godspeed." Salem repeated before she vanished along with the rest of the timeline.

 **-?-**

 **BGM: Time To Say Goodbye (Casey & Jeff Williams)- RWBY OST**

"How far back are we going!?" Nora exclaimed as they fell, various images from their memories floating around them and passing them up.

"No idea, but it doesn't matter. Whenever it is we have to be alive or else we'd have no bodies to return to." Jaune explained as he glanced back at them. "As far as I'm concerned the further back, the better."

"Indeed." Ren said as he nodded his head. "However, what are we going to do we see Ruby again? Depending on how far back we go, she will have no recollection of this. Her powers do not have a history of working efficiently on herself."

"Look, the one thing that's for certain is that she and the Kingdom need to rise to power. How we will go about that depends on where and when we end up and how long it'll take before we can contact each other. Once we regroup, we can figure out just what on Remnant we are going to do." Glynda said making Jaune nod.

"Exactly." Jaune said before frowning as a blinding light began to engulf them. "Our stop is coming up. Guys no matter what happens, just know it's been an honor."

"Right back at ya Jauney!"

"Indeed."

"You all have been the best students I ever had." Glynda said with a small smile.

"Speaking of that, if we end up back at the old Beacon, you better pass us on every assignment on sheer principle alone!" Nora said making Glynda chuckle.

"Should that be the case, I will remember to do so." Glynda said sincerely.

"Alright, here we go!" Jaune said before they were forced to shield their eyes.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

 **-Over Remnant-**

The four shot towards the planet like falling stars, their bodies made of pure energy the same color as their respective auras.

" _ **Till we meet again!"**_ Jaune called out making them nod before they separated and shot towards various areas across Remnant.

…

…

…

…

 **-With Glynda-**

Slowly, Glynda opened her eyes and frowned when she was forced to turn off her alarm on her scroll. Sitting up, she stretched a bit before her eyes widened at how pain free her body was. Blinking, she stood up as she approached a mirror in her room at Beacon and marveled at her reflection. She was once again much younger.

"If I am in this room, it must be before Beacon fell." Glynda muttered before spotting a piece of paper on her mirror. It was a reminder to go buy Dust in Vale later and Glynda's eyes widened when she saw the date.

It was one year before Ruby and her friends would attend Beacon.

"Well I'll be." Glynda said her lips curved slightly.

 **-With Ren & Nora-**

"Uh...hey Ren." Nora began nervously not sure if what she had experienced was reality or the most convoluted dream ever.

"Nora." Ren greeted his friend with a nod.

"I had the weirdest dream…"

"So did I." Ren said making her eyes widen a bit as he smiled slightly before she could begin to respond he silenced her by pressing his lips to hers.

"That was…" Nora began after they broke apart. "…better than pancakes."

"Agreed." Ren said with a short laugh.

 **-With Jaune-**

Jaune was shocked awake by the loud noise of his sisters arguing while his mother could be heard trying to break it up. The fact that he could hear their voice, that they were _alive_ was more than enough to force him to cover his eyes as he broke down quietly.

"Hey Jaune! Not much longer before you head to Beacon, I've been thinking-wanna spar with your old man? For old-time's sake?" Jaune's father asked as he suddenly barged into the room with a grin. The grin fell, however, when he saw the state Jaune was in. "Jaune are you okay?"

"Me? I'm fine." Jaune said as he wiped his eyes with a grin. "And dad? Nothing would make me happier." Jaune said as he rose to his feet. "Come on old man, let me show you how to use the family sword."

"Oh think you can beat your old man?" Jaune's father asked as his grin returned. "And you teach me how to use Crocea? I thought you were dismayed about being stuck with that old hunk of junk."

"Junk? Dad, come on, don't you know? You can never beat the classics." Jaune said with a laugh. "Believe me, that is one damn good weapon. I mean it blocks _and_ cuts and it's still useable after over eighty years, obviously something is right with that thing." Jaune said making his father releasing a booming laugh as he wrapped and arm around his neck and gave Jaune a nuggie.

"That's my boy!"

Yeah, Jaune realized, things were going to be much different this time around.

 **-Later: With Ruby-**

Ruby hummed to herself as she worked on her weapon. She woke up that morning feeling exhausted as if waking from a nightmare she couldn't remember. She was going to ask Yang about it but her sister had already left to hang out with some of her friends.

She didn't know at the moment, but that day the future of Remnant would change forever. Honestly, no one knew, except for four individuals scattered across the Kingdoms.

Her friends.

Her protectors.

Her champions.

The Knights of Rose.

 **BGM: END**

 **To be continued?**

 **[Yes]**

 **No?**

 **You decide!**


	2. Season of Change

**Disclaimer: Don't own a thing~Except my Pen name, you can't take that away from me -sniffle-**

 **Before I start there were questions about what pairing this would end up being. Arkos? Lancaster? Whiterose? RubyXHarem (Actually this one…kukukuku)? Etc. It got both my assistant Rebuff and I curious so here I'll ask you, what pairing would YOU like to see?**

 **(Also if you are reading this then there's a good chance I tweaked the first chapter (A LITTLE not a lot, to flesh out some things that dealt with the complaints a few of you had with Ruby's power. Again, nothing major, a small change really, but it's a change that will hopefully lead to a more…organic story.)**

 **The Undying Will: HE. IS. BACK. Ladies and Gentlemen! The moment all of you (including me) have been waiting for! The return of The Man! The Myth! The Legend! The one and only RebukeX7!}**

 **RebuffX7: Please don't inflate his ego anymore than it already is**

 **RebukeX7: Never see a hater doing better than you, remember that Buffy**

 **RebuffX7: Fuck you lol**

 **Featured BGMs**

 _ **Way Down We Go-Kaleo**_

 _ **Madoka Magica ED - "Magia" | ENGLISH ver | AmaLee (YouTube it)**_

 **Chapter 1: Season of Change**

 **-Six months later: Arc Household-**

 **BGM: Way Down We Go-Kaleo**

"Sweet dreams, little one." Jaune whispered quietly as he kissed his youngest sister good night. He gave her a sad smile as he watched her snore quietly before he made his way stealthily out of his house. To his credit he made it a few feet out of his house before he felt the presence behind him.

"Gotta say brat, you're up a bit late aren't you?" A deep voice questioned making Jaune's lip twitch upwards slightly as he turned to face his father whom was leaning against the house.

"Couldn't get any sleep, going for a quick walk to clear my mind." Jaune lied smoothly making his father snort as he raised an eye-brow skeptically.

"A walk with the family sword, that metal from mistral you had us order you for your birthday, and camping equipment?" Jaune's father asked dryly. "Just how long of a walk were you planning on taking, eh?"

"Long." Jaune answered before tensing as his father straightened up and walked towards him.

"Settle down boy, I just wanna get a good look at ya." Jaune's father said calmly before giving his son a once-over. Nodding to himself, the Arc Patriarch wrapped a powerful arm around his son and gave him a strong embrace, "You better be safe out there, boy, you hear me?"

"Dad?" Jaune asked quietly, confused at the lack of conflict from his father.

"You've gotten stronger in the last year, strong enough to get a personal recommendation from one of Beacon's teachers." The Arc patriarch began as Jaune remembered the note Glynda had written for him shortly after arriving in the past. "I never asked any questions 'cause a man's gotta have his secrets and that's what you are now, a man." The Arc patriarch said before sighing. "Sometimes a man's gotta do what he's gotta do which is why I'm going to let you keep going, but just answer me this…why?" Jaune's father questioned with enough emotion to make Jaune's heart clench. "Why are you in such a hurry to leave your family? Did we not love you enough or something?"

"Don't, don't you _ever_ think that." Jaune said with enough steel in voice to make his father pause. "It's because you loved me so much that I am leaving. I finally understand what's important to me and I need to make sure I protect it. A man needs a purpose, you taught me that."

"I suppose I did." Jaune's father said after a moment. "You finally found your path, huh? Fine but you better keep in touch, and don't tell your mother I saw you leave. I want to hear from you once every two weeks." Jaune's father said making him smirk.

"Gotcha…and…thanks for everything." Jaune said before pulling up his hood and continuing his trek, not once looking back as his father wiped a tear from the corner of his eye. Smiling to himself and nodding, the Arc patriarch turned around and went back into his house, shuddering slightly at the thought of the horrors that would happen the next morning when the Arc women would realize Jaune was gone.

 **-Meanwhile: Anima-**

"So, we're meeting at that village a few miles east?" Nora questioned curiously making Ren nod.

"Jaune will meet us there, though it will take him a few months to make it. So, in the mean time we can help their Grimm problem. We need to upgrade our equipment and their Blacksmith is one of the best there is."

"A hidden gem is what he is!" Nora said with a laugh. "Do you remember how much stronger he made our weapons. Making him the Royal blacksmith was one of the best decisions Ru–" Nora stopped as her voice caught in her throat.

"Nora, you need to come to terms with what happened. She's not gone yet, she's given us a second chance." Ren said quietly as he comforted Nora and wrapped his arms around her.

"She didn't deserve to fall like that…anyone but her…killed in her own throne room." Nora said quietly, though the sheer hate in her words cut through the night air clearly. "What kind of Knight am I?"

"The strongest of us all." Ren answered honestly making Nora scoff as she looked away from him only for him to gently grab her chin and turn her back towards him so that he could stare into her eyes. "You are the strongest. It's why she wanted you with the people and not with her…you would prevent them from being hurt."

As much as it hurt Nora to admit, she knew he was right. Ruby was just too self-sacrificing for her own good.

"I can't… _we_ can't lose her again." Nora said firmly as she shook her head. "Not again. And we will rebuild her throne. Salem's already divided the kingdoms they just can't see it, we need to make sure she is there to put them together again under a single banner."

"Agreed on everything." Ren said with a smile before gently pressing his lips to her's. "Now come on, we need to get to the village and await our Captain and his next orders."

 **-Meanwhile: Beacon-**

 _[Jaune: I'm off.]_

 _[Ren: As are we.]_

 _[Nora: How should we kill time? Should Ren and I kill the Nuckelavee again?]_

 _[Jaune: Only if you can handle it, if not, then retreat.}_

 _[Glynda: Jaune is correct. Need I remind you that the Empress' blessing is not absolute. It only maximizes the potential of your CURRENT strength. You are stronger than you are normally but nowhere near as powerful as you were at your primes.]_

 _[Jaune: Exactly. As of now, Glynda is the only one as strong if not stronger than she was before we came to this time because she is younger. You may hunt it, but leave if you cannot handle it, understood?]_

 _[Ren: Understood.]_

 _[Nora: Gotcha, cap!]_

"So, it begins again." Glynda muttered as she placed her scroll on her desk before turning her chair around and staring out towards the Beacon. Its green glow reflected in her eyes. "You will not fall this time."

 **BGM: END**

 **-Five Months Later: Vale: From Dust Till Dawn-**

Now, Ruby was no stranger to finding herself in less than ideal situations. In fact, it seemed no matter what she did it ended up turning into some kind of an adventure or another.

This, however, is where she drew the line.

All she wanted was to buy Casey's new album, maybe sample a few songs before the purchase while also getting some dust for her baby, Crescent Rose.

A simple errand.

Yet here she was, in the middle of an armed robbery and drop-kicking criminals through windows.

She really hoped she didn't have to pay for that.

"You okay if I go after him?" Ruby asked the shop keep as she spotted the leader of the criminals running away. She didn't want the poor old man to think she was trying to run from the damage she had caused or anything so his brief "Uh-huh" was a relief for her. Using a combination of her semblance and her baby, it didn't take Ruby long to catch up with the flamboyant thief. "Hey!"

"Persistent…" Roman muttered before an airship appeared from behind the building. Climbing into it quickly, the thief turned to face his pursuer. "End of the line Red!" Roman called out before throwing a red dust crystal at Ruby and shooting at it.

 _ ***BOOOOOM!***_

"Wooohoohoohoo!" Roman cheered before frowning as noticed something off when the dust settled. "Hm?" Roman's eye widened slightly when he saw the Glynda standing before Ruby. Said red-head, looked up at her savior in awe as she sent a barrage of purple blasts at the air ship with a simply flick of her wrist. Roman grunted as he felt his body being knocked around in the airship before he forced his way to the cock pit. "We've got a huntress!" Roman shouted making his partner frown slightly before she made her way to the back of the ship as Roman took control.

 **BGM: Madoka Magica ED - "Magia" | ENGLISH ver | AmaLee (YouTube it)**

With a second flick of her wrist, Glynda conjured a dark storm cloud above the airship before swiping down and sending a barrage of hail slamming into to the airship.

" _So far this is going just as it had originally, which means that SHE should be showing up right about…"_ Glynda's thoughts trailed off as she saw Cinder appear. _"…Now."_

What happened next would be burned into Ruby's memory for the rest of her life.

Why?

Because little did she know, she would be one of the few to ever witness…

…Glynda completely losing her shit.

The stoic woman thought she would be prepared to face her age-old enemy, and in a way, she was right. What she didn't take in consideration before deciding to reenact this whole event however…

…was that hatred runs deep.

 _ **Very Deep.**_

Cinder actually hesitated slightly in beginning her attack when she saw the look of pure unadulterated hate that had inexplicably appeared on Glynda's face. She herself had not been a stranger to such expressions before, but typically it had a reason. As far she knew the woman wasn't even aware that she had taken down the Fall Maiden as she hadn't even begun to use her power yet. Still, confusion aside, Cinder had a job to do and immediately began to make the ground beneath the Huntress explode in a fiery blaze.

 _ ***FABOOOOOM***_

"H-huh?" Ruby looked up in surprise when she felt a lack of her exploding all over a roof top and look up at Glynda in surprise. Said Huntress was visibly gritting her teeth in anger as a purple barrier protected them both. Unnoticed by all, her green eyes flickered silver for the briefest of seconds as her entire body began to emit a bright purple glow.

 _ ***Clack***_

Glynda's riding crop fell to the bottom of the barrier as both she and Ruby began to lift up into the air. The power Glynda emitted caused her hair to unravel and float menacingly behind her as the debris surrounded them. The way Glynda rose her free hands as they trembled with power sent a chill down Ruby's spine, especially when she noticed that the building she was on and a few up the surrounding ones simply began to break down into rubble which began to surround them.

 _ ***CLAP!***_

Clapping her hands together, Glynda caught them all by surprise when the airship was quickly cocooned in three building's worth of rubble. Ruby's jaw went slack as she realized fairly quickly that Glynda had intended to crush the criminals to death. Glynda's glare hardened even further when she saw a bright flaming energy escaping from the cracks of the rubble. Cinder was now using the full force of her fragment of the fall maiden's power in an attempt to escape the enraged Goodwitch.

"Cover your ears!" Glynda ordered Ruby whom quickly did as she was told while Glynda continued to struggle for dominance. With a grunt, Glynda whipped both of her hands up into the air and sent the crushed airship into the sky and high above the city.

 _ ***FABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

Ruby watched in awe as the debris simply floated harmlessly down to the ground and slowly began to reform into the buildings that they were composed of. While this happened, Glynda looked up at the warped metal that used to be an airship emotionlessly.

She was no fool.

In the moment of the explosion, Cinder and Roman had a brief moment of freedom from her power. A moment Cinder used to quickly make her escape with Roman.

" _I failed again."_ Glynda thought angrily before she glanced down at the star-struck form of Ruby. _"But that will be that last time."_ Glynda swore as the building they previously occupied rebuilt itself before she and Ruby landed back on the roof.

"You're a Huntress." Ruby said with proverbial stars in her eyes. "Can I have your autograph!?" Ruby asked only for Glynda to raise an eyebrow at her.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Interrogation Room-**

The look on Ruby's face when she suddenly found herself locked up was _almost_ enough to distract Glynda from Cinder's escape. Almost being the keyword, once Ozpin had made his grand entrance, Glynda quietly left as she began to type on her scroll.

 _[Glynda: I failed, Cinder escaped.]_

 _[Jaune: Is that so? Well that's fine, if it were going to be that easy I might be a bit disappointed.]_

 _[Glynda: You're rather calm about this, Arc.]_

 _[Jaune: Just means I get to take her down later. Besides I know you, you're probably beating yourself up over this so stop-Captain's orders. What's important is you kept Ruby alive, that sounds like a successful mission to me.]_

Glynda snorted quietly to herself as she repressed her laughter, Jaune always knew how to get his comrades out of their funk.

 _[Nora: See Glynda? You succeeded! That means there was only one failure today!]_

 _[Jaune: Drop. It.]_

 _[Glynda: Do I even want to know?]_

 _[Ren: It seems Jaune miscalculated his resources so for the first time in years, Jaune's armor is once more lacking grieves.]_

 _[Nora: Hahaha!]_

 _[Jaune: It's not that funny!]_

Glynda, for one, was extremely surprised by this. Jaune was their _tactician,_ he had led Ruby's armies through countless battles and achieved just as many victories. Mismanaging resources was something that Jaune simply did not do.

 _[Glynda: How?]_

 _[Jaune: I was so used to being able to get so much more with far less money after Ruby fixed the economy that I forgot what prices actually were like in this time. I had enough for my upper armor and Ren and Nora had built up enough credit helping the village that I was able to pay off my weapon upgrade. Thanks again for the bailout.]_

 _[Ren: No problem.]_

 _[Nora: Yeah think nothing of it! Though you're not living this down for a while! XD]_

 _[Glynda: Seems I will have to educate you on personal finance later.]_

 _[Jaune: Nooooooo! No more lecturesssss!]_

 _[Glynda: It's for your own good. Now. What is the plan? Ruby will be attending Beacon as expected.]_

 _[Jaune: We need to be on our toes, we can't relax until after initiation. Teams RWBY and JNPR MUST happen.]_

 _[Glynda: Really? None of you want to be closer to Ruby and keep an eye on her?]_

 _[Jaune: No. We need to guide and help her, but not babysit her. She needs to come into her own as a leader on her own. Still, we also need to give her the skills necessary to rule without stunting her growth.]_

 _[Glynda: That is simple, in the first week of class, I will offer her special lessons. In these lessons I will reteach her everything I did in the previous time-line in a safe environment.]_

 _[Jaune: Of course and while you do that, we can reawaken that old rivalry of ours.]_

 _[Glynda: Rivalry?]_

 _[Nora: Yeah RWBY and JNPR had a good-natured rivalry before the fall, really helped each other grow as teams.]_

 _[Jaune: Still we have the experience of full-fledged Huntsmen and the strength of fourth-years so we'll have to tone it down a notch. We'll be their best friends during down time and biggest rivals during class time. Understood?]_

 _[Ren: Understood.]_

 _[Nora: Yep!]_

 _[Glynda: This is shaping up to be an interesting semester. I'll see you all at Initiation, get here safely.]_

 _[Jaune: Of course.]_

 _[Nora: Will do.]_

 _[Ren: See you then.]_

"Ms. Rose has accepted our offer." Ozpin said as he stepped out of the interrogation room with an empty tray.

"Hm, she will be a fine addition." Glynda mused as she pocketed her scroll.

"Oh? I must say, you have been opening up a bit more when it comes to this new class. First you personally request a student, now you're supporting this early admission?" Ozpin asked curiously.

"What can I say, perhaps this is the season of change?" Glynda mused as aloof as possible; inwardly smirking when she noticed how thrown off Ozpin was at that. _"Yeah not so fun is it to be the brunt of some mysterious all-knowing attitude 24/7 you aloof son of a–"_

Okay.

Oddly enough, it was Glynda who was arguably making the most of this second chance.

The chance to subtly troll Ozpin was an opportunity she couldn't pass up.

She would _love_ to say she was a bigger person and not be so petty.

But she wasn't.

Working for Ozpin did not help one's sanity.

"That's very…insightful of you." Ozpin said sounding slightly loss for words as Glynda stopped by a coffee machine and filled her own cup.

"You tell us so many legends Ozpin, recently I discovered that it may be time to make some new ones." Glynda said as she placed the cup to her lips.

 _*Sip*_

"I see." Ozpin said as he mirrored her actions.

 _*Sip*_

 _*Sip*_

 _*Sip*_

…

…

…

 _*…Sip*_

The way Ozpin narrowed his eyes slightly at her made her feel warm and giddy on the inside, though she hid it well. Finally, after all these years, it was time for payback,

This would be fun.

 **-Beacon: Airship: Day of Orientation-**

"I can't believe my baby sister is coming with me to Beacon, oh I'm so proud of you!" Yang could be heard gushing as she nearly hugged her baby sister to death.

"P-please stop…" Ruby groaned. A similar groaning could be heard on the opposite side of the airship as Nora did her best to support Jaune.

"Hello darkness my old friend…" Nora sung with a smirk as Jaune groaned even more. Motion sickness had always been a problem for him, even after Ruby's blessing. That said, he had learned to deal with it and his body eventually adjusted as much as it could through age. Now that he was back in his seventeen-year-old body, however…

…his condition seemed to resurge with a vengeance.

"Keep making jokes, you'll be wearing my lunch if you keep it up." Jaune threatened weakly making her stop her teasing at the thought.

"Just hold on a bit longer, a few more minutes and you will have successfully avoided the Vomit-boy stigma." Nora said making Jaune groan.

"Please don't say vomit." Jaune whimpered.

"If you want I still have some of my leftover juice." Ren offered politely as he moved his hair from his face. Like the other two, he had decided to wear his attire from back when they first made it to Haven all those years back…

…Mainly because it was all they could afford thanks to a certain Knight.

Jaune still wouldn't live that down.

"Ugh…"

"Not helping!" Nora said with a look of distasted at the very thought of Ren's…concoctions. She shuddered as she moved their leader away from the ninja much to his confusion. It was then that they felt a presence behind them, and once they turned around they all felt their hearts clench at the site before them.

"U-Uh…hello…" A nervous Pyrrha said as all three looked at her. "I couldn't help but overhear, but I might be able to help?"

"Oh?" Ren asked and when Pyrrha turned to him she noticed that he wasn't looking at her with any type of recognition, in fact none of them seemed to know who she was….well one was understandably preoccupied with something else but else.

"Yes, my Dad packed me some medicine though I'm never motion-sick, they always worry too much. You can have it if you'd like?" Pyrrha offered kindly as Jaune looked up at her as if she were some sort of angel, which made her tense as she saw that look before on some of her more…enthusiastic fans.

"I…I don't know who you are…but please and thank you, you're an angel." Jaune said weakly surprising her before she nodded and quickly got him some water and a couple of pills. To both their surprise and relief, Jaune was better within minutes. "It's official guys." Jaune began without preamble making his friends look at him in amusement while Pyrrha just tilted her head in confusion. "This one's mine." Jaune said as he wrapped an arm around the red-head. "Calling partner dibs, now."

"Huh!?" Pyrrha was confused as Nora and Ren did their best to not burst out laughing.

"Shhh, don't fight it…just let it happen." Jaune said knowingly as she looked at him shock.

"You sound like a bad after-school special." Ren pointed out as Nora giggled.

"Quit creeping our new friend out. You don't even know her name"

"F-friend?" Pyrrha asked in surprise. "But we just met…"

"Meh, mom always said, strangers are just friends you haven't met yet." Jaune said before turning to face his newly obtained partner. "Names Jaune Arc–"

"Short sweet, rolls of the tongue–"

"–Lady's love it." Ren and Nora had both finished for him making him give them a dirty look even as Pyrrha, bless her soul, gave him a skeptical look.

"Do they?"

"They do when I don't have two people killing my vibe." Jaune said dryly. "This is Lie Ren and Nora Valkyrie…and you are?"

"Pyrrha Nikos." Pyrrha answered as she stiffened waiting for her name to register.

"Huh, cool name." Jaune said as his friends nodded, shocking her as they didn't seem to know or even care about who she was. Either way worked for her as she gave them a true smile. "So I got my partner, you two have each other, now all we need to do is work on teams."

"Uh…but we're not partners." Pyrrha pointed out not unkindly, honestly she wouldn't mind but she had heard rumors that their team placements were pure chance.

"It's going to happen though." Jaune said matter-of-factly. "Besides we're already sash bros." Jaune pointed out confusing her before she looked down and realized that they were both, in fact, wearing red sashes. It was then that Pyrrha realized that she had found a kindred spirit with Jaune, people simply could not understand the greatness that was the sash. Pyrrha didn't even hesitate to give him a high-five when he raised his hand making both Ren and Nora chuckle.

"Don't fight him on this, when he gets set on something it ends up happening despite all reason." Ren said making Nora nod. It was then that they felt the ship land before Jaune released Pyrrha, who blinked in surprise as she had completely forgotten he was holding her.

"You two find out where we meet up, I'm going exploring a bit." Jaune said making Ren and Nora look at him knowingly before Nora linked her arms with Pyrrha.

"Come on Pyrrha, let's go find out where we are supposed to go." Nora said before Pyrrha blinked and found herself being literally dragged away by Nora as Ren followed them. Jaune watched them go before releasing a long sigh, the sheer amount of emotional restraint it took to stand through that whole encounter was unfathomable.

Still he had a mission to do.

And Knight Captain Arc never failed a mission.

Jaune once more found himself hardening his heart and keeping his emotions at bay when he saw Ruby leave the airship.

 **-Later with Ruby-**

To say Ruby was having a bad day would be an understatement. First her sister had ditched her, then she had met the meanest girl she ever had in her life, and they were both almost blown off of the side of the cliff.

She had literally exploded.

If that wasn't an omen she didn't know what was…

…perhaps she should just go back home.

"Welcome to Beacon." Ruby muttered is she lay back down in the crater she had found herself in. It was then that shadow appeared over her. Opening her eyes, she blinked as Jaune stood over her and extended an arm towards her.

"Hey, I'm Jaune." Jaune said politely as she grabbed his armored hand a let him pull her to her feet.

"R-Ruby." Ruby introduced herself as she looked up at the knight in surprise.

"You okay? That looked a bit painful." Jaune said making Ruby laugh sheepishly as they began to walk away.

"It's fine, looked way worse than it was." Ruby reassured him making him nod. After a few moments of comfortable silence, neither not really knowing what to say, Ruby cut through the silence-quite literally-by pulling out her weapon and transforming it into its scythe form. "So, I've got this thing."

"Now that…that's a good scythe." Jaune said as he looked at the weapon that he personally saw become the thing of legends. The tales of Empress Rose and Crescent Rose were some of the more popular fables within the kingdom. Hell, just seeing it again made a small smile appear on Jaune's face. _"You served her well old friend."_

"–high-impact sniper rifle."

"Huh?" Jaune asked having honestly not heard what Ruby said.

"It's also a gun." Ruby said cheekily as after cocking her weapon as Jaune whistled in appreciation. "So, what do you got?"

"Me? I have my family's sword, Crocea Mors." Jaune said as he pulled his upgraded weapon from its sheathe. "Believe me when I say that this right here? This is a good blade." Jaune said proudly as he thought of the battles he had been in, to this day Jaune never once had to sharpen its blade-counting the previous timeline as well. It wasn't the flashiest weapon, even with his upgrade, but it got the job. "The sheathe also turns into a shield."

"Oooo~" Ruby said as she looked at the pristine weapons. "So, what do they do?"

"The sword never dulls and conducts aura easily and the shield has yet to meet its match. Believe me it has had over 80 years of punishment too." Jaune said as he saw stars in her eyes. "The best thing however? Is that thanks to me, now, when you put them together…they become…a sword." Jaune said dramatically. While _anyone_ else would have found that to be rather anti-climatic and redundant, Ruby on the other hand felt as though her mind had been blown as Jaune put away his weapon.

"Swish, swish, stab?" Ruby asked making Jaune smirk.

"Swish, swish, stab." Jaune answered with a wink making her grin.

"And here I thought no one appreciated the classics anymore." Ruby said once they made it to the auditorium, Jaune actually knowing the route this time around. Ruby frowned when she scanned the room and couldn't immediately pick out her sister.

"Something wrong?"

"Nothing really…it's just, my sister ditched me to hang out with her friends and I can't exactly hang out with any of mine."

"You can't?" Jaune asked curiously and it was at that moment Ruby realized Jaune had never questioned her age. He just talked to her as if she were…normal.

"I got accepted two years early, so the few friends I did have are back at Signal." Ruby answered. "So now I'm stuck here with no friends."

"Hm, I'll be your friend." Jaune said making her look at him in surprise before she sighed sadly.

"Then I'm at zero because I'm sure I made a negative-friend too earlier."

"You mean an enemy?"

"That…that actually sounds worse." Ruby said but despite herself she couldn't help but laugh at how blunt Jaune was.

"Hm, well, let's get you back into the positives then." Jaune said with a grin, confusing Ruby before she released a squeak when he effortlessly picked her up and held her under his arm once he spotted his team. "Hey guys, look what I found!"

"W-what?" Ruby asked in surprised before Jaune suddenly set her back on her feet. She was disoriented for a bit before she found herself in front of Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora.

"Ooooh~ A chibi huntress~" Nora teased making Ren snort.

"Nora, you're shorter than her." Ren pointed out but was ultimately ignored.

"This is Ruby, she exploded earlier." Jaune said making Ruby blush as the other three vaguely recalled the loud boom they heard earlier. "She got accepted into Beacon a few years early so I figured we'd add her to the group. After all, mom always said–"

"Strangers are just friends you haven't met yet?" Pyrrha finished for him with a smile. "You really like quoting her."

"Hey she's a smart woman, the day her advice stops working is the day I stop using it." Jaune said with a grin. "Ruby, this is Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, and–"

"–Pyrrha Nikos." Ruby finished as she looked at the red-head with wide-eyes making Jaune inwardly curse. He had forgotten that though he was oblivious as all hell, that there would be no way Ruby _wouldn't_ know who Pyrrha was. He held his breath as he saw her stiffen.

Fortunately Ruby noticed this too.

"Nice to meet you. Don't worry, I won't fan girl or anything." Ruby said as she had a brief moment of insight. The fact Pyrrha was so far away from Vale should had been proof enough. She, like Ruby, just wanted to be treated like normal. "I think you and I are the same about that, just wanting to be normal." Ruby said making Pyrrha's eyes widen and Jaune, Nora, and Ren all relaxed.

"Huh? Am I missing something?" Jaune asked as he continued his act of not knowing who Pyrrha was.

"Not at all." Ruby said with a grin which Pyrrha found herself mirroring. Yeah, she could definitely be friends with the younger huntress. After that the group dissolved into just general chatter for a bit, with Nora regaling tales of their adventures on the road.

"So there we were surrounded by fifty Beowolves–"

"It was thirty." Ren corrected only for Jaune to shake his head.

"Thirty-two _and_ an Ursa." Jaune corrected making Ren pause.

"You're right." Ren said as Ruby and Pyrrha looked between the three of them as they tried to piece together this story.

"And with a mighty swing of my hammer, they all perished!" Nora said with a hearty laugh. Ruby and Pyrrha turned to Ren and Jaune for corrections, only to pale slightly when they didn't.

"Uh…Jaune…what actually happened?" Ruby asked making him turn to her.

"Huh? No, that actually happened." Jaune said making their jaws drop. "We were on a cliff and the force of her attack sent the whole thing falling down. We escaped, but the Grimm all fell into ocean or died on the rocks." Jaune answered making Ren nod and what scared Ruby and Pyrrha the most was that they could tell they were being completely honest.

For the first time, Pyrrha felt something akin to fear towards another huntress.

Ruby was in the same boat.

It was then that Ruby noticed a flash of gold and turned to find her sister walking away from a group of her friends.

"There she is!" Ruby said before turning to her new friends. "Sorry, but I finally found my sister, I'm going to talk with her for a bit." Ruby said making them nod. "See you later!" Ruby said with a grin as they all waved their goodbyes.

"She seemed nice!" Pyrrha said with a warm smile.

"Yeah, a shame Huntsmen teams seem to be limited to four or I'd add her to our team as well." Jaune mused and Pyrrha didn't even bother to try to explain that the teams were more than likely random. In a way, it was as if she didn't want to jinx it because at this point….

…she honestly hoped he was right.

She had come here hoping to escape her fame and gain true friends and it looked like she had done that, far faster than she had thought possible. It was with that thought that Pyrrha turned to face the stage with a smile as Ozpin made himself known while Glynda stood beside him. The teacher's eyes scanned the crowd and her eyes widened slightly when she saw that Pyrrha was standing with Jaune, Nora, and Ren. The Knight just gave her a wink, which made her roll her eyes before she continued to listen to Ozpin's speech. When it was her turn she gave them their instructions and dismissed them.

 **-That Night: With Ruby-**

"It's like a big slumber party!" Yang shouted as she landed next to her sister whom was writing in her journal.

"I don't think dad would approve of all the boys though." Ruby said making Yang smirk.

"I know I do–"

"NORRRAAAAA!" A thundering voice boomed with righteous fury, startling every student in the room. It was then that the sisters turned to find Nora running away through the room in her sleepwear, holding what looked like a blue onesie under her arm.

"Ren, help!" Nora shouted before dove and did a combat roll to get behind the ninja.

"What did you do?" Ren asked with a groan.

"Nora!" Jaune's voice boomed again as he entered the scene wearing nothing but a pair of black boxer-briefs that had his family's crest on the side. As Jaune stormed through the room, he paid no mind to the show he was giving the female population as he was intent on completing his mission to destroy Nora.

Let it be known that the first thing Jaune did when he returned was train his body. His body which was already surprisingly tone and muscular in the original time-line was even more so now. Let it also be known that Jaune's aura was still locked, a personal test he made for himself to see how long he'd last without it. What this meant, however, was that any damage he did receive was healed the hard way…with time, which meant he had a few scars littering his body as well.

Still, none of that mattered.

Today was the day he would kill Nora or die trying.

"No Jaune!" Nora said defiantly. "I'm doing god's work!"

"Do you have any idea how many box-tops you have in your hands!?"

"Too many." Nora said firmly. "Ren, help me out here."

"I'm staying out of this." Ren said firmly.

"Help or no more _you know what_." Nora said the last part with a small glare making Ren pause before he stood in front of Nora firmly.

"I'm sorry Jaune, it must be done." Ren said quietly as Jaune took a step back as if betrayed.

"Y-you Ren?" Jaune asked in disbelief as Ren looked hurt by the look of betrayal on his friend's face.

"I'm sorry, Jaune, I wouldn't do this if I had any other choice."

"We always have a choice, Ren."

"Yes, but some aren't worth making." Ren said resolutely.

"Don't make me go through you Ren."

"Do what you must, we all knew this day would come." Ren said as he raised his fists while Jaune did the same. "Don't blame me for what happens next." Ren said coldly as the two sized each other up. One was clearly bigger and physically superior while the other was faster and much nimbler.

The Tank vs. The Glass Cannon

It would be a fist fight of the ages.

The two charged each other and Ruby felt her jaw drop as she realized she was actually going to see two of her new friends come to blows over a hideous onesie.

"Arc! Lie! Valkyrie!" A cold voice boomed making the three pale as they shakily turned to find Glynda. Her mere presence made the temperature of the room plummet as she stared at them coldly. "Follow me." The three glanced at each other fearfully before following her instructions.

"Your friends are weird." Yang said after a moment of silence, turning to face her shocked sister. "Hot." Yang admitted. "But weird"

 **-With Glynda-**

"You three are idiots." Glynda said incredulously as they stood in her office and watched as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "I know I had told to find a way for us to meet without drawing suspicion…but _really?"_

"We need to have a team meeting about your fixation with pumpkin Pete." Nora said as she tossed him his onesie. "That anger felt… _real."_

"Never come between a man and his cereal." Jaune said firmly as Glynda sighed once more.

"Idiots. All of you." Glynda said incredulously. "Arc I get and Valkyrie is a lost cause, but really? You Ren?" Glynda asked sounding disappointed. "Were you seriously swayed that easily with sex."

"With all due respect, when was the last time you had any?" Ren asked bluntly, his expression never wavering making Glynda pause.

"Do I need to remind you all that at the moment I could crush all three of you _at the same time?"_

"Not at all, my point still stands though–"

"Ren, shut up before you get us killed." Jaune interrupted as he saw Glynda's power flare briefly. "So, what did you want to tell us?"

"First thing, good job with Ms. Nikos and Ruby. The faster you build your bond up with them the better off we'll be." Glynda said before tossing a key to Ren. "That is the copy of the master key. It will get you into any room in the school. You are entrusted with this because you are the least likely to be caught."

"Understood."

"That makes finding places to "tutor" Ruby easier." Jaune said making Glynda nod. "Good thinking."

"Thank you, now for the most urgent matter." Glynda began as she stared at all three of them. "Tomorrow, watch what you say and do in the forest. Particularly you, Arc." Glynda began. "MY recommendation for you has peaked Ozpin's interest in you more than usual. When you're in the forest we will have surveillance on you and will be watch you all's every move. Do not slip up. Even when you're not being watched, believe me, you are. Is that understood?"

"Yes." The three said in unison.

"Good. Now dismissed, knights." Glynda said making them nod before they left her office. Once they did, she released a sigh and turned around to stare out her window once more, sipping her coffee. She would be up all night continuing to make plans for Jaune to look over. Yet despite how tired she was she couldn't help the small smile that appeared on her face.

They would do this.

They would reclaim Rose's throne.

But first they had they had to turn her back into the leader she once was.

 **To be continued…**

 **Read and Review~  
**

 **And as Always** **  
**

 **Stay Classy**

 **~RebukeX7**


	3. Champion of the Rose

**Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY but I did buy the Vol. 4 soundtrack**

 **The Undying Will: Believe me ladies and gents; I too am surprised to receive an update to beta read so soon after the latest update. Also, Rebuff, you can't stop me since this just proves in my eyes that Lord Rebuke is deserving of his title as THE MAN, THE MYTH, THE LEGEND. *Hides in Book Fortress* Thou shalt not kill me for I am The Undying Will!**

 **RebuffX7: You two will be the death of me.**

 **RebukeX7: You know you love us. Also to the readers your call for Lancaster has DEFINITELY been noted (Holy crap the amount of reviews for that pairing O.o) With the second most requested being a harem followed by Arkos. I'm debating a compromise between all three by opening it up to Pyrrha as well so everyone can kinda have something but YOU let me know. Note if I do go this route, I'll try to write it in a way that is definitely on the more unique side, old readers of mine know how I love throwing curveballs.**

 **Also this is a quick update, I know, which is why I don't have a set release date simply cause I write when the mood hits me. Also let's talk about reviews since many of you are new readers and don't know my policy, I reply to ALL reviews at the end of each chapter EXCEPT for guest reviews who leave their pen name as "guest". It's not that I don't love you, it's just that responding to you is hard when I can't differentiate you all.**

 **Now on with the show!**

 **Featured BGMs:**

 _ **Song of the Ancients (Atonement)- NieR: Automata OST**_

 _ **Weight of the World the End of YoRHa-NieR: Automata OST**_

 _ **Birth of a Wish-NieR: Automata OST**_

 **Chapter 2: Champion of the Rose**

 **-Kingdom of Rose: Beacon: One year before the fall of Empress Rose-**

" _A bit late, isn't it?"_ _Jaune said as he stepped out onto the balcony where Ruby was standing. "Her majesty should have her rest." Jaune said with a smirk, making Ruby roll her eyes._

" _Rest." Ruby parroted with a small laugh as Jaune stood next to her. "I'm afraid that is a luxury I don't have much these days. Funny, isn't it? The period in my life when fighting the least is the one where I have the most work. Plan after plan, law after law, even when I'm sleeping I'm working as I try to find solutions to our most immediate of problems."_

" _Is that what you're doing now?" Jaune questioned as he looked up at the broken moon with Ruby. "Working?"_

" _No." Ruby admitted with a shake of her head. "This time I'm having an existential crisis." Ruby answered honestly before turning to face Jaune with a look of pure curiosity. "How do you do that? Show up when I legitimately need you most?"_

" _If I couldn't do that much I would be a failure as both your Knight and a man." Jaune answered before looking at her in concern. "Tell me, what plagues your thoughts?"_

" _A long time ago, Glynda once told me that I was the world's answer to Salem. The balance needed to counter her as light does with darkness or hope with despair." Ruby began quietly. "I guess I was thinking about what will happen after Salem."_

" _Hm?"_

" _Should-no-when she falls what will happen? Will a new darkness arise to counter me in her stead? Will I be able to maintain order once the fear she invokes dissipates? In a way, you could argue that her existence is necessary for this order to continue." Ruby said before shuddering slightly. "Or will I just fall alongside her? A martyr where the memory of both myself and Salem continue on to maintain this hard-fought semblance of peace. These, Jaune, these are the questions that keep me up a night."_

" _Heavy. I remember a time where those questions would consist of what flavor of ice cream tasted best." Jaune began making Ruby crack a wry smile. "Ruby, with you leading us we have overcome every obstacle that stood in our way. The future is just that, another obstacle. Will it be smooth? Of course not, when is it ever? But believe me, we will find an answer."_

" _Thank you. I think that is what I needed to hear." Ruby said after a few moments of silence._

" _Think nothing of it. That said, no more talks of you becoming a martyr either." Jaune said as he grasped the side of her face gently and lifted her face up so that he could stare into her eyes. "You will survive. Somehow, someway, you will get through this. If you fall it won't be alone because you are the only thing I have in this world that makes me get up in the morning."_

" _Jaune." Ruby said quietly, her voice wavering ever so slightly as she saw the determined expression on his face. "I'm scared."_

" _You're allowed to be, but just know I will be here to take those fears away." Jaune swore before Ruby claimed his lips for her own, holding him tightly as tears slid down her cheeks. Theirs…was a tragic love. Neither could fully explain it but it was as though each and every day they waited with baited breaths, wondering if this would be the day the lost the other. Their bond had always been a blessing._

 _But that blessing was on borrowed time._

 _And they both knew it, even if they refused to accept it._

 **-Present time-**

Jaune awoke with a small gasp as he quickly sat up, momentarily lost as he tried to reconciled just where he was. Glancing around the room, Jaune realized that he was back at Beacon, the morning of their initiation. The way the barely risen sun illuminated the room let the Knight know that he had awoken very early.

Taking a deep breath, Jaune quietly made his way through the room in order to not awaken any of the other potential students and stepped out onto a balcony he had stood on more times that he could count. Jaune closed his eyes and leaned against the railing as he tried to gather his thoughts and calm the storm of emotions the dream had awoken.

"Jaune?" An all too familiar voice whispered from behind him. Opening his eyes, he glanced back to find the awkward form of Ruby standing behind him in her pajamas holding a cup.

Well this was unexpected.

"Sorry, did I wake you?" Jaune asked back just as quietly as he tried to figure out why Ruby was there. Ruby shook her head and gave him a tired smile as she raised her cup.

"No, I was getting some water when I saw you get up." Ruby answered as she walked next to him and took a sip of her water. "You look like you had a bad dream."

"Just a bit nervous about today." Jaune lied with a smile. Fortunately for him, this younger Ruby would actually fall for it and just nod her head in understanding.

"Me too, but don't worry, you're strong." Ruby said making him raise an eyebrow as looked at her. "I-I mean you look strong." Ruby tried to explain making the mistake of glancing over his half-naked form. "Er no not like that I just mean–"

"Chill Crater Face, I got it." Jaune said with a smile making her look at him in confusion.

"Crater Face?"

"What you thought you were just going to _explode_ and _not_ get a nickname? The world isn't that kind." Jaune joked making her pout cutely at her unwanted title.

"Meanie, and here I was trying to help you out." Ruby complained making Jaune chuckle.

"Thanks for the attempt, but don't worry, just the usual afraid of failing kind of thing." Jaune said making Ruby frown for a moment before shrugging.

"Well don't worry about it too much, we all fail. What's important is learning from those failures." Ruby said making Jaune tense for a moment.

"But what if the failure is too big?" Jaune asked quietly. "What if you failed at something…failed _someone_ so badly that nothing you could do could make up for it?"

"Hmm…nope!"

"Excuse me?" Jaune asked incredulously as Ruby smiled at him which looked kind of funny with the odd mask she had on her forehead.

"It's impossible because you can make up for it." Ruby said making Jaune blink at her owlishly.

"How?"

"Duh, by learning from it and making sure you don't fail the _next_ person like that dummy." Ruby said as if it were obvious making Jaune gape at her. A moment passed before Jaune released a deep chuckle, his eyes glistening ever so slightly.

"I guess you're right, thanks for the advice Crater Face." Jaune said as he pulled her mask down over her face and walked off.

"Hey!" Ruby whisper-yelled in surprise but was ignored as Jaune continued to walk through the room. Only now he walked with even more of a purpose in each stride he made. His eyes narrowed in determination as he could practically feel his aura rushing within him, straining against his body in vain attempt to break free. Still it wasn't time just yet, no he had to wait a few more hours to unlock his aura and once more give him the key to protecting those he cared about.

 **-Later: Locker Room-**

Pyrrha was not having a good time at the moment. Why you may ask? Because she currently found herself stuck with someone whom not only knew who she was but blatantly wanted to use that for their own gain. Don't get her wrong, Weiss was…

…nice?

However, she was also everything that she was blatantly trying to avoid. To be honest she had half a mind to just walk away from the Heiress but the SDC was one of her biggest sponsors which meant she couldn't risk offending Weiss.

No matter how much she had the urge to do so.

Especially after she said it would be grand for them to be teammates, the smile that appeared on Weiss' face was downright horrifying.

"Know what else is great? This guy right here." Jaune said as he strolled between them and leant against the locker. "Which is why, I called dibs." Jaune said shocking Weiss from her thoughts as Pyrrha looked at him in both surprise and relief.

"Hello Jaune!" Pyrrha said with a bright smile and wave as Jaune winked at her.

"What's up, partner?'

God

Damn.

Did it feel good to say that again.

"Uh excuse–" Weiss stopped as she actually got a good look at Jaune making a chill run down said Knight's spine. Why you may ask? Because Jaune saw that look before. Being one of the original four Knights of Rose meant that all of them had their share of fangirls and -Jaune shuddered- fan boys. Though she recovered her composure far too quick for Pyrrha to notice her small slip up, Jaune had saw it clearly.

Weiss had, briefly, eyed him like Zwei eyed a steak.

Jaune was confused until he remembered a few things.

One, he had actually avoided his awkward run-ins with Weiss this time around.

Two, he was not hard on the eyes even in the original time-line…at least that's what Ruby told him.

Three, he had matured A LOT and had opted out of pretending to be his younger self, he couldn't do it if he tried anyway. He carried himself like a legitimate knight now because that was exactly what he was.

And lastly, he was garbed in armor.

Chicks dig armor.

At least that's what his dad always said.

"I'm sorry, I don't believe we've met…Jaune was it?" Weiss asked making Jaune nod.

"Jaune Arc." Jaune said and no, he was not going to do his usual introduction, the last thing he wanted to do was raise any more flags. "And you must be Weiss Schnee, heiress of the Schnee Dust Company." Jaune said, hoping-no-praying, that Weiss was like Pyrrha and hated people who knew them.

The smile on Weiss' face told him that no, he was wrong, very, very, wrong.

"Why yes I am." Weiss said politely making him pale. Still, Jaune was a tactician for a reason.

It was time for a tactical retreat.

"I see, well, see you later. Come on Pyrrha, we need to go." Jaune said as he gently, subtly, but firmly attempted to drag Pyrrha with him to safety.

"W-wait a second!" Weiss called out, surprised by Jaune's attempt at kidnapping _her_ partner. Pyrrha, bless her soul, just took the whole thing in stride not sure whether to be amused, confused, or offended.

"Hey Jaune!" Ruby's voice greeted and Jaune turned to find an angel and his savior approaching them as Weiss looked irritated by the very sight of Ruby.

Also, no, his savior and angel in this scenario was _not_ Ruby.

It was Yang.

 **~Emergency Blond mental link activate!~**

" _Help me!"_ Jaune seemed to shout out to Yang with a simple but frantic glance. Said brawler was surprised by the look of panic the knight, who she was never actually introduced to yet, sent her. Quickly glancing over the situation, Yang had an _idea_ of what was going on and gave him a quick thumbs up.

" _Every friend of Ruby's gets one."_ Yang winked at him before turning to face Weiss. "Well, if it isn't the bitch that blew up my sister~"

"Language~" Ruby whined while Weiss looked more than a little offended.

"Excuse me!? Are you implying that it was my fault–" Jaune didn't hear the rest as he made his grand escape with the still confused Pyrrha Nikos.

 **-Later: Launch Pads-**

"Come on~ I can't wait!" Nora said as she bounced in place while Jaune and Ren stretched. "We're going to be the best team ever!"

"Uh, you guys do know that teams are probably random, right?" Yang couldn't help but asked from where she was standing. "Don't think standing together is going to help."

"Don't bother." Pyrrha said with a sigh and a small but fond smile. "They won't listen."

"Non-believers!" Jaune shouted making everyone but Ren and Nora sweat-drop. "Besides…I called dibs."

"Ah, well that means its obvious then." Ruby said wisely making her sister look at her in surprise. "The rules of dibs are sacred, Yang."

"Then why didn't you call dibs on me?" Yang asked skeptically making Ruby pause before she gained a look as if her mind had just exploded.

"That's right! Yang! I call dibs!"

"Counter-dibs." Ozpin said smoothly as he and Glynda entered the scene making Ruby fall to her knees in sorrow, water-falls coming from her eyes.

" _Nooo!"_ Ruby thought in despair as she punched the ground making everyone else sweat-drop.

"Sorry Ms. Rose, but these placements will be random." Ozpin said as he sipped his coffee.

"That said, fate is a mysterious thing and you two may end up on the same team at very least." Glynda said making Ruby perk up as she sipped her coffee. The students weren't sure but they could have sworn they saw lightning spark between the two coffee drinking professors.

"The tooth fairy isn't real." Ozpin said suddenly as if for no other reason than to undo Glynda's work as Ruby looked at him in horror.

"How many things in life are when you actually think about it?" Glynda countered without missing a beat, throwing him for a loop as he tried to decipher just what the hell she was talking about. The younger Knights were sure, but they were positive they discovered what Glynda's newest hobby was. It was then they shared a look that pretty much said: better him than us.

"Uh…" Yang began awkwardly as she scratched the back of her head.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard many rumors about the assignment of teams." Glynda began as emotionless as ever. "Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates…today." Glynda explained before Ozpin gave a run down on what was about to happen. When he was done, Jaune raised his hand.

"Well if it isn't the prodigal son himself, yes Mr. Arc?" Ozpin questioned as he glanced briefly at Glynda who made no reaction towards him answering a question from the student she personally picked. He was interested in how well-thought out of a question Jaune could have given his supposed prowess.

"Yeah so about those counter-dibs, were they for Ruby only or…?" Jaune trailed off as everyone sweat-dropped and gave him a look of disbelief. Well, everyone besides his fellow Knights anyway.

"What do you think?" Ozpin asked curiously as students began get launched.

"I think a lot of things, but I want to know." Jaune said honestly. "Take it back before I show everyone the flaw in this initiation."

"Oh really?" Ozpin asked dryly. Glynda was one thing but he'd be damned if got out him'd by a student. Pyrrha just shook her head at the exchange. She was going to warn Jaune not to get on the professor's bad side but opted to prepare for her own landing strategy instead as she was launched into the sky leaving Jaune and Nora.

"You asked for this." Jaune said with a sigh as Glynda sipped her coffee. She had noticed the odd placement of JNPR, with Jaune and Pyrrha between Ren and Nora instead of the two pairs being side by side and realized what Jaune had planned. Jaune was then launched into the air followed by Nora.

"You picked an odd student." Ozpin said as Glynda remained silent.

 _*Sip*_

"Nora now!" Jaune boomed as he deployed his shield while Nora pulled out her hammer.

 _ ***BOOOM!***_

Releasing a shot, Nora soared towards Jaune before releasing a powerful swing at his shield.

 _ ***KRANNNG!***_

Ozpin watched in surprise as she hit Jaune with enough force to send him rocketing towards Pyrrha whom had just landed on a tree. Pyrrha couldn't even yelp when Jaune suddenly slammed into her sending them both crashing down as Nora continued riding her hammer towards Ren's location. Said ninja was already relaxing on a tree branch when he saw Nora approaching him. Raising his hand lazily, he allowed Nora to grab it before they both went flying away.

…

…

…

Ozpin said nothing as he simply turned to face Glynda.

"He did call dibs." Glynda said simply as she continued drinking her coffee.

She idly wondered if this would be the year she got fired.

 **-With Jaune and Pyrrha-**

When Pyrrha opened her eyes moments after feeling the air knocked out of her lungs, she looked up in surprise to find herself held in Jaune's arms as he sat at the base of a tree.

"Told you~" Jaune teased making her roll her eyes with a small smile before she climbed to her feet.

"I suppose you did." Pyrrha said with a chuckle. "So where to now, partner?"

God.

Damn.

Did it feel good to _hear_ that again.

"To the relics of course but uh…I think that fall broke my legs." Jaune said with a small wince as Pyrrha looked at him in horror.

"What? Why didn't your Aura shield you?" Pyrrha questioned worry lacing her voice.

"I relied too much on it so I had a professional lock it for me so that I could see how far I could get without it." Jaune lied. He was at Beacon under Glynda's recommendation, if he said he never had his aura unlocked that would draw way too many questions.

"That…that's insane…" Pyrrha said breathlessly, that was quite possibly the craziest most suicidal type of training she had ever heard of.

"Yeah, I know, but the internal bleeding is beginning to get to me. Mind unlocking it for me? You do know how to unlock Aura right?" Jaune asked with a fake hint of worry making Pyrrha nod her head frantically as she rushed towards him.

"Still, broken bones still take a little time to heal even with Aura."

"Eh, it's okay I have a lot of it." Jaune said dismissively and Pyrrha wasn't sure if it was foolish bravado or if he was serious. Perhaps healing was his Semblance? Whatever it was, Pyrrha had to work quick because right now Jaune was little more than a civilian. Closing her eyes, Pyrrha placed her forehead to his. Her body began to emit a red glow as white light began to break free from his.

"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee." Pyrrha said before her eyes snapped open as a torrent of power ripped from his body.

It was then that things went a bit side-ways.

 _ ***BOOOOOOOOM!***_

Jaune's eyes flickered silver for a moment as his Aura got into and under Pyrrha's own. The sheer force of his Aura breaking free so close to her's created an explosion that sent Pyrrha flying backwards, the impact of her body hitting the ground was enough to send it bouncing up once as her aura shattered.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune shouted in alarm as he saw the unconscious form of his partner. She was only a little breathless when she did this first time so he was not expecting such an extreme reaction. At this moment, he was cursing not having learned how to unlock his own aura. Dragging himself towards Pyrrha while his legs mended themselves, Jaune checked her pulse before he made sure she was still breathing. "Okay that was unexpected." Jaune muttered after making sure she was still alive and well. Gritting his teeth, Jaune fought through the pain and forced himself to his feet while lifting Pyrrha up in his arms.

He could already tell this was going to be a long day.

 **-?-**

" _Huh? What? Where am I?" Pyrrha wondered as she slowly came to. Opening her eyes tiredly, she looked around to find herself in a plane of white. "What?" Pyrrha murmured as she saw rose petals fall around her._

" _Well, would you look at that?" A voice asked making her look up. Her eyes widened when she saw a beautiful woman with black and red hair resting on a silver throne. She was wearing a white dress and snuggled into a piece of red fabric that was continuously breaking into rose petals. The woman wore a gentle smile and her eyes were closed, Pyrrha would have sworn she was slumbering peacefully if she hadn't just heard the woman speak. What caught Pyrrha's attention the most however was the circlet on her head that looked exactly like hers minus the jewels. "Please…come here." The woman said politely beckoned Pyrrha towards her with a finger._

" _W-who are you?" Pyrrha questioned in confusion. "Where am I? How did I get here?" Pyrrha asked for the last thing she remember was unlocking Jaune's aura before being blinded by a white light._

" _So many questions." The woman said with a small laugh. "You will get the answers you seek but first, let me get a good look at you…it's been so long."_

" _A good look? You can see me?" Pyrrha asked with a frown as the woman's eyes remained shut. It was so strange, the woman looked so familiar. It was on the tip of her tongue and yet she simply couldn't reconcile the stranger's identity with anyone she knew._

" _I see you and so much more." The woman answered serenely before beckoning Pyrrha to lower herself. Once she did, the woman placed a hand on her chest over her hearts. "Such a kind and powerful heart." The woman said quietly, tears beginning to fall from her closed eyes._

 **-With Nora and Ren-**

"You feel that?" Nora asked making Ren nod as he quickly finished off a King Taijitu.

"Jaune." Ren said knowingly. "Something's wrong." Ren deduced as he noticed some of the weaker nearby Grimm seemed to be attracted towards the explosions point of origin. "We must hurry." Ren said making Nora nod before they quickly made their way towards the relics where they knew they'd meet up with their leader.

 **-Later: With Yang and Blake-**

"Chess pieces?" Blake questioned with a frown when she saw the relics.

"Guess we should pick one." Yang mused as the two looked around at the relics. After a few moments she shrugged in picked up a golden knight piece. "How about a cute little pony?" Yang offered making her partner roll her eyes before a small smile graced her lips.

"Sure." Blake agreed as she made her way towards Yang.

"Wow, you guys are quick!" A voice called out making them turn around to find Jaune approaching them while carrying an unconscious Pyrrha on his back.

"Hey, uh, Jaune right?" Yang asked making him nod as he gently place Pyrrha down before making his way towards the relics.

"Yeah and you're Ruby's sister…Yang, right?" Jaune asked getting a nod from his fellow blonde.

"Looks like your dibs worked after all." Yang joked as she glanced at Pyrrha before frowning slightly. "Though she looks a bit…broken."

"Had an accident in the forest. She'll be fine though…I think." Jaune mused as he picked up both of the golden Rook pieces.

"Uh, Jaune was it? You only need one." Blake pointed out making him nod.

"Oh, I know, but I'm grabbing the other one for Ren and Nora." Jaune said simply before making his way back towards Pyrrha and sitting down.

"Uh…isn't that cheating?" Blake asked skeptically making him shrug.

"I didn't hear any rules against it." Jaune said simply. "Look uh…sorry, I didn't catch your name?'

"Blake Belladonna."

"Jaune Arc, nice to meet you." Jaune said with a smile. "Ozpin tried to counter-dibs me, so excuse me while I show him exactly why this entire test is stupid as hell."

"What do you mean?" Yang asked curiously making him sigh.

"Like, what if we got paired with someone we simply could never work with? Like for example there was this big guy I ran into earlier at Beacon, I think his name is Cardin, total racist. What if he got paired with a Faunus?" Jaune asked curiously, paying no mind at the angered expression that briefly crossed Blake's face. "There is no way that would work out. That's a team doomed to fail from the start."

"Okay I can see how that could be an issue–"

"Then there's the relics themselves." Jaune continued as he interrupted Yang. "What's to stop people from taking more than one exactly like I just did?" Jaune asked curiously. "Luckily, I just want to ensure my team, but what if I was a total asshole that decided to screw with some people and hid the other relics? Yeah, Ozpin could punish me after the fact, but the damage would have already been done."

"Well yeah but–"

"I mean truth be told? If he wanted random partners with random teams? He would have a safer bet just pulling names out of a hat. Hell, he could have even put surveys on the applications so he could personally pick out compatible teams and we could spend this day team building rather than wasting our time." Jaune said with a sigh. "Honestly, I think he just likes launching people off of cliffs."

"But then how would he be able to gauge our skill?" Blake questioned making Jaune snort.

"Blake, if we're here then we should already have some kind of skill." Jaune said as he blatantly ignored the fact that he had snuck in here the first time around. Worst thing about it was that he _knew_ Ozpin knew he lied so the fact he was sent flying off of a cliff into a forest of monsters made it even worse. "And this is a school, right? If we suck, we have teachers and class mates to help us. So, let me ask you both, why the hell are we wasting our time with this?" Jaune asked as Blake and Yang just stared at him.

….

….

….

A tumbleweed blew by.

"He has a point." Blake admitted as Yang noted how windy it was. "This is a waste of time."

 **-With Glynda and Ozpin-**

"Perhaps we should look into revamping the initiation process." Glynda mused as she sipped her coffee. "Eventually someone was going to catch on to the fact you just like launching kids off of cliffs."

"You know old friend? I do believe I might actually dislike your protégé." Ozpin mused as he continued to drink his coffee.

"Now you know why I picked him." Glynda said with a smile as she sipped her coffee. The two simply chuckled warmly though a passerby would have sworn he would have saw the two professors engulfed in evil auras as lightning sparked between them.

 **-At the Relics-**

"So, what now? Wanna make our way back?" Yang questioned making Jaune shrug.

"You can if you want but I'm gonna wait here for Ren and Nora, hopefully my partner wakes up soon though. She looks fine and her aura is recovering quickly." Jaune said as yang and Blake glanced at each other.

"Perhaps we could stay for a bit, you know, possibly pursuade some people to _not_ pick the horse." Blake said innocently. The moment Jaune mentioned Cardin, Blake realized that she would die before she got stuck on a team with an asshole like that.

"Isn't that cheating?" Yang teased though she agreed albeit for a different reason. At the end of the day she didn't know the other students, sans Ruby, that well at all. She would be _damned_ if her sweet little sister ended up on a team with some creep.

No.

Ruby was better off on a team with her in hindsight. She had wanted to make sure Ruby would grow and get used to her not being there so that she could branch out and grow out of her shell. That said, in one day, Ruby had made four new friends and an enemy.

So that was like three new friends!

A record!

No, Yang realized she might have been a bit worried for nothing and that being on a team with her sister wouldn't be so bad after all.

Speaking of her sister…

"Uh…Yang?" Blake said as she poked the brawler whom looked at her in confusion only to find Blake looking up and pointing at the sky. Following her line of sight, Yang felt her jaw drop when found Ruby inexplicably falling from the sky, her eyes the size of dinner plates.

"Heads up!" Ruby screamed as she fell.

 **-Ruby P.O.V.-**

I'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdeadI'mdeadohgodwhydidIjumpI'msodead!

Safe to say this was the day I died.

Closing my eyes as the ground rushed towards me, I held my breath as I waited for the explosion of pain that was going to come.

…

….

Wait, where is it?

"Just dropping in?" A familiar voice said sounding amused. When I opened my eyes, I looked up in shock to find Jaune smiling down at me brightly as he held me in his arms.

 **-General P.O.V-**

"We have to stop meeting like this, Crater Face." Jaune said with a chuckle as Ruby continued to look up at him in shock.

"Whoa! Nice catch!" Yang said making Ruby turn to her.

"Yang!" Ruby cheered as Yang approached them.

"Did your sister just fall from the sky?" Blake asked incredulously as she made her way towards them.

"Hey, got you a gift." Yang said with a grin as she handed Ruby the relic.

"A cute little pony?" Ruby asked making Yang nod.

"Yup, now we should be on the same team." Yang said making Ruby beam at her. "And you thought I was trying to ditch you."

"You totally were." Jaune said with a laugh only to get a punch in the arm from Yang.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Yang said even as Jaune, Ruby and even Blake stared at her with half-lidded eyes. "By the way, uh, you getting a bit cozy there, sis?" Yang asked Ruby whom was still in Jaune's arms. Once the young woman in question herself realized this, she left Jaune with an arm full of rose petals as she jumped away from him a squeak.

"Well that's a reaction I'm not used to." Jaune mused making Yang smirk.

"Oh? Is that right Lady Killer?" Yang questioned making him nod.

"As you can tell, I'm used to having girls…fall…for me." Jaune said as Blake visibly winced from how bad the pun was while Ruby's face reddened slightly in embarrassment. Yang on the other hand laughed loudly as she slapped the Knight on his back.

"You and I are going to get along just fine, Jaune." Yang said with a grin. Suddenly, a thought occurred to Yang as she looked at her sister with a frown. "Wait, do you have a partner yet?"

"Uh…about that…" Ruby trailed off awkwardly as a high-pitched scream rung out through the air making them look up to find Weiss barely hanging on to a giant Nevermore for dear life.

"Is that girl riding a Nevermore?" Blake asked incredulously.

"How could you leave me!?" Weiss screamed making Ruby pout.

"I said jump!" Ruby defended weakly.

"She's gonna fall." Yang said making Ruby wave off her concerns.

"She'll be fine…"

"She's falling." Blake deadpanned as Weiss lost her grip. At that moment, the three turned to Jaune whom was whistling an innocent tune. Noticing their stares, Jaune groaned.

"Damn it, fine…" Jaune complained as he ran forward and expertly caught Weiss in his arms. Jaune stood tall as he held Weiss in his arms much like he did with Ruby. When she looked up at him awe she opened her mouth only for him to "accidentally" trip and drop her. "Whoops." Jaune said as Yang and Blake sweat-dropped, the difference between him catching Ruby and Weiss was as different as night and day. In fact, the only one that seemed to buy his "accident" was Ruby.

"Ouch! Watch where you're walking you brute!"

"Hey, it was an accident." Ruby defended her friend who didn't look remotely apologetic as he kept walking. Frowning, he pulled out his scroll and narrowed his eyes at the time.

Ren and Nora were late.

 **BGM: Song of the Ancients (Atonement)- NieR: Automata OST**

"Where–"

"JAUNE!" _Ren_ shouted as he blitzed out into the clearing like a bat out of hell.

 _ ***BOOOOM!***_

 _ ***BOOOOM!***_

"What did you do!?" Ren asked incredulously as Nora landed behind him and began firing grenade after grenade into the forest as packs of Beowolves, Ursa, and even a Deathstalker entered the clearing.

"Me!?" Jaune asked incredulously as Ren slid next to him before turning around and releasing storms of bullets into the horde of Grimm.

"We felt your Aura pulse and then hordes of Grimm began running this way!" Ren said as Nora laughed while she blew away her opposition. Glancing to the side, Ren frowned when he saw the downed form of Pyrrha. "What happened?"

"I asked her to unlock my aura, guess I had a bit more than I remembered or something because she went blasting away from me." Jaune explained making Ren curse.

"Did they just run in with an army of Grimm chasing them down!?" Blake asked incredulously before noting that the large Nevermore was circling back for another attack.

"At least the gang's all here, now we can die together!" Yang said sarcastically making Ruby narrow her eyes.

"Not if I can help it!" Ruby said as she made her way to face down the Deathstalker, not paying any mind to the Nevermore which put her in its sights. As expected it released a storm of feathers after her attack against the Deathstalker failed, pinning her into the ground by her cape.

"Jaune! Ruby!" Ren called out making Jaune curse, but to his relief he saw Weiss quickly making her way towards her trapped partner even as Yang called out in alarm.

"She'll be fine, Weiss is engaging the threat. Our priority is getting Pyrrha out of here, she's the most vulnerable." Jaune said, and yes, he was keenly aware of how ironic that was. "Ren, flank the Grimm! I'm going in." Jaune ordered as he ran straight into the horde, deploying his shield and drawing his blade. Blasting in front of Nora, Jaune ducked under a powerful swipe from an Ursa Major, blocking its follow up attack with his shield before jumping up with a spin and removing its head. Using his momentum, Jaune kicked the Grimm into its side and sent it crashing into a Beowolf.

 _ ***Thoom!***_

Jaune landed on the ground in a crouch as the Grimm began to dissolve. Rising to his feet and turned to face Nora whom was awaiting her orders. Jaune tossed her the second Relic and nodded towards Pyrrha.

"Grab her and go, we need to fall back and get somewhere safe." Jaune said making Nora nod. Though he had the best defense, she was faster and stronger which made escort missions a bit easier.

"Gotcha." Nora said before she made a mad dash towards Pyrrha just as the Nevermore released a storm of feathers at her this time. Time seemed to slow as she dove forward towards Pyrrha and scooped her up in one fluid motion while narrowly escaping the projectiles.

"We have to get out of here!" Ruby called out as Jaune continued to deflect every attack sent his way with his shield.

"Agreed! We need to move now! Ren and I will protect the rear, just keep moving!" Jaune ordered as Nora made her way towards team RWBY with Pyrrha while he and Ren protected the rear. Before long, they made it to the ruins and Nora narrowed her eyes when she saw the Nevermore circling them.

"We need to get that bird out of the sky!" Nora called out as Jaune blocked a vicious strike from a Beowolf before Ren quickly gunned it down.

"Ruby!" Jaune called out getting the youngest huntress' attention. "You and your sister, take your partners and deal with that bird so we can focus on these guys."

"What!? But there are so many–"

"Don't worry! The only real threat is the Deathstalker, we'll deal with it while you all deal with the Nevermore. After that, you all can help us finish up the small fry. Our goal right now is to protect the injured." Jaune said, reminding them that Pyrrha was indeed down for the count. Ruby bit her lip before nodding.

"Guys let's go!" Ruby called out as she led her team across the bridge as Jaune and his friends trailed behind them. As they crossed the bridge, Nora stopped cold just as the Nevermore slammed into it, separating the two teams. Thinking quickly, Team RWBY managed to make their way up the falling the debris and land on a more stable foundation.

"We gotta help them!" Yang called out only for Ruby to stop her.

"No, Jaune as right, we can't help anyone until we take out that bird!" Ruby said making Weiss frown.

"Then what do you suppose we do?" Weiss asked making Ruby frown.

"For now? Hit it with everything, if that doesn't work…I think I have a plan that will. Come on!" Ruby said before she and her team began unloading everything they had at the Nevermore. Meanwhile, Nora cursed quietly as she saw more Grimm joining the horde as Jaune held the line at the end of the bridge while Ren destroyed the horde from the inside, maneuvering away from and between all of their attacks. Placing Pyrrha down, Nora turned away and pulled out her hammer before rushing to join her teammates. As soon as she made it to them, she stopped next to Jaune and slammed Magnhild into an Alpha Beowolf with so much force it went sailing away from them and got pinned into a tree.

"Pyrrha?" Jaune asked as he tore through a king Taijitu that had lunged at him with Crocea Mors.

"She'll be fine as long as none of these Grimm get passed us." Nora explained making Jaune nod before releasing a loud whistle.

"Regroup!" Jaune called out to Ren whom nodded after kicking an Ursa in the face before backflipping between two Beowolves, cutting them as he did so, and landing next Jaune. Jaune quickly raised his sword high into the sky. "Ha!" Jaune shouted before a faint blue energy surrounded the three of them. It was similar to Aura yet it seemed a bit harder. It was a weaker version of his Semblance's full potential that could mitigate some damage from himself and allies. "Let's go." Jaune said before the three of them quickly rushed back into the fray.

 **BGM: END**

 **-?-**

" _Shall I tell you a fairy tale?" The mysterious woman questioned Pyrrha suddenly whom looked at her hesitantly. This had indeed been one of the weirdest dreams she ever had._

" _Which one?"_

" _One you know all too well, even if not by name." The woman said serenely. "It's about the Champion of the Rose."_

" _The Champion of the Rose?" Pyrrha questioned frowning at the strange title._

" _You see once upon a time there was an Empress, said to be the greatest ruler that had ever graced Remnant. So great, was this ruler, that people often questioned her humanity for no mortal could be so perfect. She had friends, protectors, that were seen as the Vanguard of their salvation against the most ultimate of evils." The woman said wistfully, a pained smile on her face. "However, this story is not about her."_

" _No?" Pyrrha asked with a frown._

" _No, this story is about her Champion. The foundation of the very society the Empress had built, the unsung hero, the hidden Vanguard of humanity." The woman said and Pyrrha paled as she saw a young girl of no more than five years of age appear in between her and the stranger._

 _What made Pyrrha pale you may ask?_

 _It was the fact that that girl was her._

" _This girl had a humble beginning, but you see she was born into greatness. Born with a strength unrivaled by her peers. And through time that girl grew into a warrior." The woman said as the girl was replaced with a mirror image of herself. "She had nearly everything, fame, fortune, a great family…but no friends. A tragic existence her's was, adored by all but loved by none."_

 _ **BGM: Weight of the World the End of YoRHa-NieR: Automata OST**_

" _Stop." Pyrrha interrupted her voice wavering slightly._

" _That is until she took her life into her own hands." The woman continued without missing a beat. "She ran away from the cage she called a life and went out into the world on her own. There, she found friends." The woman continued as Team RWBY, Nora, and Ren joined her mirror image. "And even love." The woman said as Jaune appeared making Pyrrha take a step back. "For a moment, she was finally content with her life but you cannot have good without evil."_

" _Please, stop this." Pyrrha pleaded as an orange flame began to engulf the image._

" _However, the warrior would not take this and sought to stop the evil and in order to protect these individuals, she took upon the burden of facing this evil." The woman said as the flames disappeared from everyone but herself. Pyrrha watched with glistening eyes as she alone was burned, though her image's smile never faltered._

 _ ***Crash***_

 _At that moment Yang, Weiss, and Blake shattered while cracks appeared on Jaune, Nora, and Ren's images._

" _She bought them more time, but some were eventually lost anyway." The woman said and Pyrrha watched with wide-eyes as the stranger got up and stood behind Ruby. The woman placed a hand on Ruby's head before finally opening her eyes making Pyrrha's breath catch in her throat as two pairs of silver eyes stared back at her._

 _It finally sunk in._

 _Now she knew exactly who she was looking at._

" _How?" Pyrrha sked quietly as Ruby continued her story._

" _You see everyone was hurt from the loss of the warrior." Ruby continued quietly. "However, one girl, refused to let it break her. She was hurt, yes, but she grew from the experience. She learned to live life as if she were living for two, both herself and the warrior she failed to save. Through time, that girl became that Empress and she saved her friends whom were broken by the loss of the warrior and put them together once more, better than ever." Ruby said as her image held Jaune's hand before he and the other two's cracks disappeared. "They would all grow, gain allies and one day…"_

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Stand united against the evil that took their friend away from them with the entire world behind them." Ruby said as Glynda joined them while her image disappeared as the rest of her Knights appeared as they did in their primes. "Still you can't have good without evil and vice versa, and when the evil was finally vanquished. So was the good."_

 _ ***CRASH*  
**_

 _Pyrrha watched, horrified as the images shattered once more in front of her._

" _Still, the Empress was a stubborn as were her friends. There had to be a better way, she would wonder with her final thoughts. Her physical body was given up willingly and in return, she had given her friends a way to return to stop the evil and save their friends." Ruby said before smiling. "Still, she herself was stubborn, never forget, and she herself would send along her soul that was tied to the one knight she loved and claimed for herself by a small remnant of her power."_

" _And that's why you're here isn't it?" Pyrrha asked quietly, tears falling from her eyes. "Jaune was that Knight and by unlocking his Aura I freed you as well."_

" _Yes."_

" _Why tell me this?"_

" _Because this is all still part of the Champion's legend." Ruby said brightly, her eyes twinkling with wonder. "Tell me do you believe in destiny?"_

" _I do." Pyrrha said quietly making Ruby nod as the realm behind her turned pitch black._

" _What if I told you destiny was only what happened when you simply follow the path you can see?" Ruby asked curiously. "You're something amazing you know? You're a human being. You have many paths you can take, countless, but the darkness blinds you from all but one and you call that one path fate." Ruby said before her eyes shone brightly. "I have a gift. That gift is giving others the light to illuminate their alternate paths."_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Pyrrha's eyes widened in amazement as a countless pairs of silver eyes appeared behind Ruby, illuminating the realm once more and revealing not just her Knights but hundreds, thousands, millions,_ _ **countless**_ _people she both knew and didn't know._

" _When you unlocked his aura, the bond I made with him transferred to you." Ruby said quietly as tears of her own fell from her eyes. "Now you must make a choice, will you accept my light? Or will you continue to blindly follow the same path that while altered will lead to the same place? I can use this last bit of my power to unlock the light within you."_

" _But what about you?" Pyrrha asked getting a pained smile from Ruby whom didn't answer. "No, you said this was tying you down. If I take that offer you will disappear, won't you?"_

" _You always were one of the smarter ones." Ruby said knowingly making Pyrrha glare at her._

" _You're asking me to kill you!" Pyrrha snapped angrily. "Can't I just give this bond to your current self?"_

" _I will return one way or another. You could do that." Ruby said honestly. "You could also wait until the others turn my other self into-no-better than me. I'll always be with you in some form, my Champion. However, I am not asking you to kill me. No." Ruby said as she got down to her hands knees and lowered her head. "I'm_ _ **begging**_ _you to live." Ruby pleaded making Pyrrha gasp. Suddenly, Pyrrha crashed to her knees before Ruby, as if weighed down by some monumental force. "You've made your choice, in your heart, if not your mind."_

" _W-what is this…" Pyrrha questioned as the mysterious force threatened to crush her very being._

" _I will never take away your choice, but I will force you to make one." Ruby said before Pyrrha found her spear stabbed into the ground between them. Looking up, her eyes widened when she saw an extremely powerful red-headed woman looking down at her garbed in gold armor. "This realm is run by the heart not the mind. The heart is often the fastest decision maker of the two. The decision is often already made it just takes the mind awhile to catch up."_

" _No. Please, not like this!" Pyrrha sobbed as she felt herself grab the spear. She knew what the feeling that was crushing her now was._

 _It was guilt._

" _Take my light."_

" _No!" Pyrrha roared in defiance as she raised her spear, fighting against her very own body while Ruby gave her a sad smile._

" _My knights will always protect me, but I want you to protect them. You always were the heart of that team." Ruby said quietly._

 _ ***SCHTICK!***_

" _Forgive me for placing the weight of the world on your shoulders…I really am a terrible person, aren't I?" Ruby asked tiredly, blood covering both them as Pyrrha held her tightly while she cried. "My other self…make sure she becomes a better person than me. Tell Ren and Nora congratulations. Tell Glynda I'm sorry for the headaches." Ruby began saying rapidly, awakening her habit from her younger years as she began to cry harder. "Tell Jaune I love him, that it isn't his fault…and for you…_ _ **thank you**_ _for your sacrifices and_ _ **goodbye.**_ _" Ruby said as her body began to break down, the shackles holding her spirit down turning into power for Pyrrha. "I'm scared."_

" _You're allowed to be." Pyrrha whispered making Ruby smile to herself before her eyes shut._

 _ ***Crash***_

 _The pained scream Pyrrha released would have shattered the hearts of even the strongest man when Ruby vanished from her arms in a swirl of rose petals, only her crown remained as it bounced off of the ground and into Pyrrha's lap._

 _ **BGM: END**_

"Think you make the shot?" Ruby asked as Weiss prepared to launch her.

"Hmph, can I?"

"Can-"

"-Of course, I can!" Weiss interrupted before launching Ruby towards the mountain before conjuring glyphs alongside it that allowed Ruby to run up the mountain with the Nevermore's trapped under her blade. Once she made it to the top, Ruby grunted before viciously decapitating the Grim and landing on the cliff in a crouch. Rising she turned towards the sounds of fighting and felt her jaw drop as Jaune's team continued to tear through the opposition. She had no idea how many Grimm they killed at this point but just from seeing the amount that were currently dissolving she understood that it was no small number.

"We gotta help! Weiss! Get me over there!" Ruby shouted before she leapt off of the cliff. Thinking quickly, Weiss made a bridge of glyphs towards the opposite side of the ruins. Ruby hopped from one to the other with no fear as she was dangerously high in the air over a cliff. Reaching the last one, she dove down and decapitated an Alpha Beowolf before landing in front of Jaune.

"Ruby? What are you doing here?" Jaune asked in surprise before realizing that team RWBY was done with the Nevermore.

Damn they had been fighting this horde for a while.

"We finished our part, now we're here to help." Ruby was going to say more when Jaune noticed an Ursa rushing her from behind.

"Look out!" Jaune shouted as he moved in front of her. Inwardly, he cursed his weaker body as he realized he would be fast enough to block the attack. Still, he had more than enough Aura to soak the damage.

 _ ***Bang!***_

 _ ***SCHTICK!***_

 **BGM: Birth of a Wish-NieR: Automata OST**

Jaune and Ruby blinked owlishly as an all too familiar spear ripped through the Grimm's head before it was covered in a black energy and ripped itself free. The two followed the spear with their eyes until they turned around to fine Pyrrha slowly rising from the end of the bridge with her hand outstretched.

"Pyrrha!" Jaune called out in relief before frowning as she didn't seem to notice him after catching her spear. "Uhh…Pyrrha?" Jaune questioned cautiously as a hush seemed to come over the battlefield as she strode towards them with her head bowed before she gradually began to pick up speed. Eventually, she broke out into a full-blown sprint before leaping up a kneeing a Beowolf in the face, it's head snapping back with a sickening crunch.

The following events would have Team RWBY refusing to volunteer to spar with Pyrrha for the foreseeable future.

While she was in the air, knee firmly planted in the Grimm's face, all of the surrounding Grimm immediately turned to focus on her, their target. For when she unlocked Jaune's Aura, the resulting explosion had sent her very emotions pulsing through most of the forest gather the attention of the Grimm.

"None of you." Pyrrha began, her face still shadowed by her hair before she tossed her shield and spear to the sides and landed heroically. "Are getting out of here alive!" Pyrrha snapped her eyes flickering silver the briefest of moments, catching Jaune's attention as he, Ren, and Nora all began to get a very familiar feeling from their comrade.

" _What!?"_ Jaune wondered in shock as Pyrrha proceeded to face the Grimm alone in hand to hand combat as her sword and shield flew around her, ripping through the weaker Grimm. The Knights all shared a look of disbelief as Pyrrha ducked under another Beowolf before wrapping her arms around its waist and spinning around. With a roar, she suplexxed the Grimm, shattering its neck and back before doing a combat roll backwards and suddenly catching her spear in her hand. Turning it into a sword she quickly spun around with a might swing.

 _ ***SHING!***_

The blood of the Grimm sprayed on her as she tore through the abdomen of three separate Beowolves. An Ursa tried to rush her from behind but was tripped up by her shield which arrived from seemingly out of nowhere. As the Grimm fell, her sword shifted into a rifle that she held with one hand. Without even looking at it, she quite literally blew away any thoughts the Grimm might have had about killing her.

"Look out!" Ruby screamed as a massive King Taijitu erupted from the ground, its jaws wide open as it went to swallow her. A sneer, an actual sneer, appeared on the enraged Pyrrha's face as she stared it down.

"Not today." Pyrrha muttered as she dove into its mouth before it swallowed her in a single gulp. However before long it began screaming as it's body began pulsating. The huntsmen in training watched in shock as Pyrrha viciously ripped herself to freedom, destroying the Grimm from the inside. After bursting free, Pyrrha landed and rolled forward as her gun became a spear and with a mighty throw, she speared three more Beowolves to a tree before her shield returned to her. Spinning around quickly, she shield-bashed another one that tried to flank her with so much force it's neck simply bent backwards before it went crashing down.

It was then that a loud roar made them look up to find two more Nevermores entering the scene. Throwing her shield in front of her, Pyrrha ran behind it while raising her hand towards Jaune.

"Sword!" Pyrrha called out, out of politeness if anything because Jaune was so shocked he was positive she could have just taken it. Throwing Crocea to her he watched as it was covered in a black energy before flying towards her left hand as he spear returned to her right. Pyrrha turned her spear into a sword as the shield she threw froze in mid-air before her. Pyrrha leapt on her shield as her armor was covered by her semblance before she catapulted herself off of it and began flying towards the Grimm.

It was official.

Pyrrha Nikos…

…was _pissed._

The Nevermore opened its beak and released a scream before firing feathers at her. Pyrrha's courage never wavered, however, as she flew around the feathers before slamming Crocea Mors into the corner of the bird's mouth. She kept flying as the ancient sword tore the Grimm from its mouth to its tail feathers before she spun around and repeated the process on the second one with her own sword. Now with a bird's eye view of the battleground, her body erupted in a crimson Aura as she _dived_ back into the middle of the horde.

 _ ***THOOOOOOM!***_

Landing with her signature pose, the force of her impact actually knocked the surrounding Grimm away from her immediate position. With a warrior's roar, Pyrrha arose and began rip and tear through the Grimm with such ferocity that a few of them were debating looking away from the scene.

But they couldn't.

It was just too morbidly glorious.

It had become obvious that Pyrrha's rage was attracting the Grimm but at the same time the Grimm were too weak to face her and too stupid to ignore their basic instinct to kill and run instead. In a way, Ruby would later look on upon this like fruit being put into a blender. They weren't sure how much time had passed as they watched, the sheer carnage was enough to move Nora to tears. Still it ended.

…Eventually.

"Ah!" Pyrrha roared angrily as she dove on a dissolving Grimm and continued to attack it viciously with both blades. It was then both Jaune and Ruby realized they had to put an end to this. As Pyrrha continued to attack, she soon found both of her arms being restrained by Jaune and Ruby.

"Pyrrha, cut it out!" Jaune ordered as Ruby whimpered a bit.

"It's over! It's over! Calm Down!" Ruby pleaded and that seemed to do the trick as Pyrrha snapped out of her trance. Looking around she realized that the battle was indeed over and she had successfully killed god knows how many Grimm. She was panting tiredly and drenched in blood that had begun to evaporate, but still one glance at Ruby was enough to make the invincible girl break down.

"I-I'm sorry…" Pyrrha said her eyes glistening. "I'm sorry!" Pyrrha said as she hugged Ruby whom looked at Jaune in confusion only to find that he was just as lost as she was.

"Uh…there, there?" Ruby said awkwardly. "Don't apologize, just relax. It's _over."_ Ruby stressed as she patted Pyrrha's back. Jaune, however, shared a knowing glance with Ren and Nora.

They were going to have to talk about this

 **BGM: END**

 **-With Ozpin and Glynda-**

For the first time in a while, Ozpin was physically at a loss for words as was Glynda though she had an idea of what probably occurred down there.

"It seems, Ms. Nikos' reputation doesn't do her justice." Glynda said making Ozpin nod.

"Indeed, it does seem that way. That was a performance worthy of our graduates and even then, that's being generous…to them." Ozpin admitted. "She's good…almost too good." Ozpin said making Glynda tense though she hid it well.

"Oh?"

"She would definitely throw off the team balancing for the first years, her potential is-dare I say-almost detrimental to their growth." Ozpin said with a sigh. This was not a problem he had often, in fact he could only think of _one_ time that he had this issue.

"On the contrary, I believe this works out perfectly." Glynda said getting Ozpin's attention. "The first years will see Ms. Nikos as the standard and as such will work harder to reach that level. No, we can use this to make them strive for more than they are currently aspiring for."

"Are you sure this is not just because she is Mr. Arc's partner?" Ozpin asked skeptically making Glynda shake her head.

"No. After all, it's what you did with me when I was their age is it not?" Glynda asked making Ozpin's eyes widen ever-so slightly. "Now come we should be glad to have such high-quality students, let's pick them up and get ready to assign them to teams."

"I suppose you're right." Ozpin admitted, something he had a feeling he'd be saying a lot more than usual. Still, perhaps his companion was correct. Having such skilled first years could only do them all more good.

Right?

 **-Later: Beacon-**

"Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren. You four have collected the White Rook pieces. From this day forward you will work together as Team JNPR…lead by…Nora Valkyrie." Ozpin said making all four look at him in confusion.

"Bullshit." Nora said with a surprising amount of seriousness making her friends look at her in surprise.

"Ah-hem." Glynda cleared her throat narrowing her eyes slightly at Ozpin.

"I kid, I kid." Ozpin said with a chuckle. "You will be led by, Jaune Arc. Congratulations young man." Ozpin said making Jaune nod his head with a smile. "Finally, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao-Long. You four have gathered the White Knight pieces. Form this day forward you will work together as Team RWBY…led by…Ruby Rose." Ozpin said making Yang squeal as she hugged her sister while Weiss seemed to be waiting for Ozpin to say it was all a joke. She groaned when she realized that no, it was not a joke at all.

"Pyrrha, come with us later." Jaune said seriously making Pyrrha frown before nodding cautiously.

 **-That Evening: Glynda's office-**

"Glad you all made it in a timely fashion." Glynda said once Team JNPR gathered in her office. "As you may have expected, Ms. Nikos we are here to discuss what happened in the forest."

"To be honest Ma'am, even I'm not entirely sure." Glynda just raised a hand to stop her and gave her a comforting smile.

"You're among friends who will not judge you. We suspect something happened to you, similar to what we have all gone through in some way. We just need to understand _how_ so if you could please tell us what you know."

"I…It's started when I unlocked Jaune's aura." Pyrrha began before she began to retell the experience she had. A she spoke she could tell her words were practically causing them physical pain, even Glynda whom hid as well as she could. By the end of it, she completely broke down when she admitted what she had done. "I-I'm so sorry…I didn't mean to. I understand if you hate me…" Pyrrha trailed off as she saw the angered expressions on her teammates face. "I didn't want to-"

"Stop." Glynda interrupted with a sigh, momentarily looking far older than she physically was. "No one here hates you."

"But I killed her-"

"No, what you did was decide to change your destiny." Jaune said speaking for the first time since she began her tale. One look at him was enough to tell her that he was hurt but he wanted to make sure she understood that he didn't blame her, none of them did. "Salem hurt her, not you. We came here with the intent to retrain Ruby, nothing has changed. We are hurt, we are angry, but not at _you._ We are grieving and now you are as well. It's times like this where we need to stand together more than ever…that's what _**she**_ taught us."

"I'm sorry."

"If you're so sorry…" Nora began as she gained Pyrrha's attention before giving her a sad smile. "…Then do what she did. Carry that burden, that guilt, and live for two, laugh for two, love for two, but don't sit there and feel sorry for yourself."

"You are and always will be her Champion." Ren added with a small smile as Pyrrha sniffed and wiped her eyes. The feeling of acceptance she got from them.

It was almost more than she could bear.

"I will for her, believe me, I will." Pyrrha swore before turning to face Jaune with a frown. "You said Salem killed her? Who is that?"

"That is a long and tedious question to answer." Glynda began before folding her hands together. "If we are to answer that, may you first answer a question for us? Actually, it's more of an offer."

"An offer? What is it?" Pyrrha asked making Glynda smile as her teammates all grinned at her.

"How would you like to be a Knight?" Glynda asked making Pyrrha's eyes widen. "This is no simple vow, but rather, a blood oath. Should you accept, know that there is no going back."

"I'm already in too deep." Pyrrha began with a wry smile before her expression shifted into one of pure determination as her eyes flickered silver for a moment. "I'm in."

 **To be continued…**

 **RebukeX7: Reviews-holy fucking shit. Buff, do you see this shit?**

 **RebuffX7: Holy shit! Bruh.**

 **RebukeX7: *Cracks knuckles* Alright time to respond to all of them.**

 **RebuffX7: I'm gonna get you some coffee, have fun.**

 **RebukeX7: Alright, let's get started!**

 **TO ALL GUEST REVIEWS WITHOUT A PEN NAME. I LOVE YOU GUYS BUT RESPONDING TO YOU IS IMPOSSIBLE BECAUSE YOU"RE ALL NAME "GUEST" SERIOUSLY ANDY NAME BUT GUEST WILL WORK FOR EXAMPLE: ennowguo I don't even know wtf this is but I will respond to it.**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Haha! Your enthusiasm has been noted! Thanks for the feedback and vote for Lancaster!**

 **Skysavio: Your feedback has been noted!**

 **The Immortal Siegfried: Same, I have an idea, but this is about be an adventure for both of us.**

 **DopplerDee: Lmao sounds like the fanfic from hell, I'm sorry XD. And hey, you are one of the few Day 1 reviewers, you've been here for years, I think you might actually be insane for lasting this long lol**

 **553Colinm: Thanks!**

 **Hikari900jk: I'ma try to upload when I can, I wanted to see this one completed too.**

 **DanteNaru: MUAHAHAHAH! I've turned another person into a reviewer! Drink the kool-aid! DRINK IT!**

 **Lobo Loco10: Glad you liked it!**

 **The Undying Will: (RebuffX7) One day I'll learn…one day…Don't worry, she's not the only one versed in the art of the Yandere, fortunately for you that means my target is someone else.(RebukeX7) Thanks for the help and yeah my lengths are going to fluctuate. I think part of what burnt me out was trying to consistently get out god-length chapters instead of focusing on the content. From now on my lengths are going to be a bit laxer…unless I'm in the zone like now. Have fun with your GF, stay Classy.**

 **Doubledamn (1 &3 Review): Glad to be back man, this time away is actually what I needed!. (RebuffX7) Thanks for being an avid reader, and I've decided that i'm not going anywhere. This fucker going to have to make room!**

 **Rogue Dragon Forever: Thanks for the Review man! (RebuffX7) what did I say about inflating this man's ego? (RebukeX7) Don't hate! And once more thanks, as for the pairing, I'm still on the fence about what it will end up being. The demand for Lancaster is** _ **strong**_ **so much that I am going to guarantee that it will be at least part of the main pairing if it goes harem route, if it's solo then it will be Lancaster without a doubt. Like I said a lot of people demanded Lancaster.**

 **Raiju56: Glad you like the story! Hopefully I can keep your interest until the end, still I appreciate you sticking around this long!**

 **THE L0NE WANDERER: Lol expect that to be a running theme, give it a few chapters before anything major beings happening with WBY they will have more screen time later but its hard right now. Once more thanks for the review!**

 **Nightwanderer21: Noted.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Lancaster is pretty much confirmed (because of you guys' feedback), the issue now whether it will be expanded slightly or not. Thanks for the review man!**

 **Matvize: Thanks for the review and your feedback has been noted!**

 **MIK23LIK: Hm, feedback has been noted will put that into consideration!**

 **The Fabled Grimm: Thanks, and lol better late than never right? XD And your vote for Lancaster has been noted!**

 **Tnt24tryon: Lol sorry about that delay but let's finally start focusing on this adventure!**

 **Swainey6: Glad you are enjoying the story so far!**

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 **AJ Lexie: LEXIEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Holy shit when was the last time I actually responded to one of your reviews? How's it been? Glad you like the story so far and your vote for Ruby/Harem has been noted lol. Oddly enough Glynda has a lot of options that could work for her. Lol hope you enjoyed this chapter!**

 **Asurau: Glad you like the update and glad to be back!**

 **Mad King Qrow: Glad you like the chapter. The pairings and stuff will always get the most focus, but personally I think it's the core friendship teams like JNPR have with each other that drive the story. Won't say much but believe that future events are going to be altered greatly.**

 **AwesomexNinja: Your opinions have definitely been noted, appreciate the feedback about Lancaster!**

 **BalanceM88: Glad you liked the changes always felt as though I hadn't fleshed it out well enough, this gave me excuse to change up some things real fast. Interesting view points on the pairings, taking them all into consideration. Glad to be back my man, thanks for the review as always!**

 **Z2010Deadmeat: Yo it's been FOREVER how you been man!? Thanks for the review!**

 **The Exiled Darkness: Yeah the feels are crazy but they gotta keep up the façade and bottle them for now. And your opinion hast been noted concerning Lancaster, thanks for your insight!**

 **RayD2Kill: Opinion noted, feedback was definitely helpful and you brought in a good perspective concerning Lancaster and Arkos in this story! Thanks for the review!**

 **Bankerrtx01 Lol love the enthusiasm and glad you like the story so far! Also thanks for reminding me about the story status, totally forgot. As for the An, I'm going to replace that with an Omake or something one of these days, so I'm gonna leave it for now. Thanks for the review!**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Glad to be back Hero! Like I always say what's mine is yours (Minus the OCs in my other stories) as long as you credit appropriately!**

 **Thedarkness1996: Thanks for the feedback and glad you like my stories! Your pairing suggests have been noted, thanks for the feedback!**


	4. The Strongest Knight

**Disclaimer: I own nothing but the PC this is written on**

 **The Undying Will: *sips on Peppermint Tea* It seems life itself had made sure that I stay at home instead of going to the beach with my relatives…otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to edit this. So, thank the cucumber juice that made me sick since my birthday this 21st everyone. I know I did since I got to beta read this chapter as soon as I got it. Nice work as always Lord Rebuke and Lady Rebuff, I'll consider this as a belated birthday gift. *takes another sip of tea***

 **RebukeX7: Damn get better and happy belated birthday.**

 **RebuffX7: See this is what I mean when I say juice is for fruit.**

 **RebukeX7: Shout out to DopplerDee who's review actually will have a lasting impact on this story, good job!**

 **RebuffX7: you rock!**

 **RebukeX7: Also, not sure when the next update will be-**

 **RebuffX7: -when do you ever?**

 **RebukeX7: BUT, the reason is because I am currently working with my assistant Rebuff here on the SEQUEL to my "The Wingman" story. If you haven't read it, have an open mind about pairings, and need some serious RWBY romance in your life, I suggest you check out "The Wingman" on my page, you're in for a unique treat. Now, on with the show! (#Shamlessplug)**

 _ **Featured BGMs**_

 _ **The Devil and the Huntsman-Daniel Pemberton, Sam Lee**_

 _ **Neon-RWBY OST**_

 _ **You Say Run-MY Hero Academia OST**_

 **Chapter 4: The Strongest Knight**

 **-Rose Empire: Beacon: Seven Months before the fall of Empress Rose-**

" _Come on snowflakes! Two more hours, keep it up!" Nora called out as she stood above the Imperial training grounds and watched as the cadets continued their training. They were practicing rigorously, sparring with each other, doing countless laps around the training grounds, and undergoing intense physical conditioning as a whole. "You're huntsmen, soldiers, Knights, but looking at you pansies I'm inclined to disagree!" Nora taunted before smirking as she saw a familiar fire burning in their eyes._

" _Battle-Master." A voice said making her turn around to find and armored man kneeling before her._

" _Speak lieutenant." Nora ordered as she beckoned for the man to stand._

" _The Empress requires your presence." The Lieutenant said making Nora nod before glancing back at the cadets._

" _Thank you, I have new job for you. Look over these trainees until I return, they have two more hours before they are to be dismissed, understood?" Nora asked making the mad nod._

" _Yes, Ma'am!"_

" _Good." Nora said before departing, her long battle-coat billowing behind her like a flag as she left the trainees to their own devices. Once she made it to the massive castle doors, she pushed them open with visible ease._

 _ ***Thooom!***_

 _Upon entering the building, she immediately spotted her comrades. Jaune and Ren were standing at opposite ends of the war-table while the Empress rested lazily on her throne behind the table, her chin resting on her hand, and her eyes closed as if she were sleeping. Still, Nora knew better as she watched Glynda whom was standing beside Ruby telling her information._

" _Nora." Jaune greeted without looking up from the table as he rubbed his chin in thought_

" _What are we dealing with?" Nora questioned curiously as she approached the table and stood opposite of Ruby._

" _My men have located the group responsible for the attacks on the outmost settlements. The ones' that have been kidnapping the youth." Ren said making Nora's face do a complete one-eighty as a cold expression appeared on her face._

" _What are we dealing with? Salem? Faunus extremists? Or just terrorist in general?" Nora asked making Jaune shake his head as he pinned what looked like a miniature hammer onto the map, right above Kuroyuri._

" _Bandits." Jaune answered making her frown in confusion._

" _Bandits? There's no way Bandits can breach the defense of our outer villages like that!"_

" _They can if they are_ _ **her**_ _bandits." Ren said knowingly making Nora's eyes widened before she looked up at Ruby._

" _I thought they didn't mess with the slave-trade?" Nora asked making Glynda shake her head, emotionless as ever._

" _They practically run it now, Valkyrie. A bettering world means less and less ways for them to make money. At this point, this is the only way for them to make a living." Glynda said making Nora curse. "Their leader was too prideful to surrender to and join us earlier, so here we are."_

" _So, we've decided, we're sending you to end this." Jaune said as he turned to the Battle-Master._

" _I thought I was a last resort and you want to send me first?" Nora asked in surprise._

" _Ruby wants this dealt with quickly." Jaune answered making Nora frown before nodding. She had a history of getting…messy…it wasn't often Ruby herself would send her off on missions, preferring to have her protecting the capital._

" _What are my orders?"_

" _Literal shock and awe," Jaune answered making Nora grin before pausing as she remembered just who the bandit leader was._

 _ **BGM: The Devil and the Huntsman-Daniel Pemberton, Sam Lee**_

" _Ruby–"_

" _Nora." Ruby interrupted as she lazily raised a hand to silence her old friend. "There is no excuse for what she's done. She has stepped on our toes long enough. My father, my mother, and uncle are all dead as is my sister-her daughter…it's time we gave them that family reunion. Though…she probably won't be going where they are."_

" _You mean…" Nora trailed off as Ruby opened her eyes and pinned her in place with a cold stare._

" _For her tribe? No survivors. However, I want you to clip that bird's wings and bring her to me, this is a family matter after all." Ruby ordered making Nora nod. "Dismissed, Knight." Ruby said making Nora nod before the others continued to plan out their next strategies. Nora exited the building, her body crackling with electricity, before she shot into the sky like a bolt of lightning going the wrong direction._

 _ **-Bandit Camp-**_

 _A loud explosion and screams of terror awoke Raven from her slumber. Quickly putting on her equipment, she ran outside her tent to find her Tribe being struck down and fried by bolts of pink lightning. She then noticed that some of their captives were disappearing at groups at a time when a pink flash slammed into them. Before Raven could say anything, a bolt of lightning slammed into the ground before her. Raven glared as Nora appeared before her with her hammer resting over her shoulder. Raven gritted her teeth as she saw the rose emblem on Nora's shoulder pauldron._

 _Even in death, that emblem continued to give her headaches._

" _In the name of her majesty and of the Empire of Rose, you Raven Branwen are under arrest for acts of terrorism and the abduction and murders of her majesty's subjects. Surrender peacefully or be prepared to face the consequences." Nora recited almost boredly._

" _So, the girl thinks she's grown up now? Couldn't even come see her dear aunt in person?" Raven taunted. "If she thinks I'm going to surrender peacefully, she's wrong." Raven stated before frowning at the grin that slowly crept onto Nora's face as she lifted her hammer._

" _Good." Nora said darkly._

" _Men, dispose of her!" Raven ordered and nearly immediately, Nora found herself surrounded by dozens upon dozens of bandits._

" _Do you know why they sent me?" Nora asked as she effortlessly dodged around their attacks with literally lightning fast reflexes._

 _ ***Rumble***_

 _Raven frowned when she saw that a severe thunderstorm had seemingly begun out of nowhere._

" _When knighted you are given a quality of her highness to represent." Nora said before swinging her hammer once and sending three bandits crashing away from her, their bones shattered from the impact. "I am the embodiment of her wrath and let me show you why with a little move, I like to call…" Nora trailed off before launching her hammer into the sky._

 _ ***BOOOOOM!***_

 _Raven watched in surprised as lightning slammed into the airborne hammer before Nora leapt up and grabbed it._

 _ **Death.**_

 _Raven couldn't explain it, but somehow, she just knew that whatever was coming was going to spell out her demise. Perhaps it was her instincts, but whatever it was made Raven-for the first time ever-run away from a fight. Raven quickly opened a portal, transformed into her raven form, and flew out of the area as Nora's hammer shone so brightly it seemed to have been made out of pink lightning._

"… _ **God Blast."**_ _Nora said as she descended upon the battle field light a bolt of lightning. The moment her hammer slammed into the ground, it promptly shattered within her grasp._

 _ **-Twelve miles away-**_

 _Raven appeared and reformed on top of a cliff and turned around just in time to see a massive dome of pink energy extended for miles, wiping out everything in sight. The ground itself trembled from the impact as vacant nearby town were simply reduced to ash. Before Raven knew it, she was on the ground, her knees going weak from the display of true power. She was no fool, there was no way her tribe had survived that._

 _ ***Crackle***_

" _You're already dead." Nora's voice said from behind her. Raven's eyes widened in shock as she spun around only to find Nora's fist piercing her side as it was coated in pink electricity. Raven coughed up blood as her aura promptly shattered. Her vision went black as Nora caught her._

 _ **-Empire of Rose: Castle Walls-**_

 _The citizens murmured incredulously, as Nora dragged Raven's barely conscious form through the city. Her legs had been promptly broken, removing any attempts at escape. As she approached the castle, Nora could hear Glynda reciting the list of crimes done by Raven and the bandits. Once she did, she, her fellow knights, and Ruby turned to face Nora who entered the scene. "You're late, Valkyrie."_

" _Seems I need to train more," Nora said with a smile. "After I reforge Magnhild."_

" _We're on a schedule so I had to begin without you. I won't bother asking how you plead, Raven, it's obvious you're guilty and you're too proud to try to plead innocent anyway." Glynda said dismissively. "Your highness." Glynda said as Ruby stepped forward while Nora tossed Raven before her._

" _So…Summer's brat is all grown up…" Raven said tiredly. "…What are you going to do? Chastise my actions? Try to find the good in me? Make me join you…or perhaps you'll actually be stronger than your mother and at least imprison me." Raven taunted only to frown when she saw Ruby_ _ **holstering**_ _Crescent Rose._

 _She hadn't even seen Ruby pull it out-_

 _ ***SHING!***_

 _Raven looked down incredulously as a massive gash appeared on her chest, tearing through god knew how many of her vitals as the crowd cheered that one of their terrorizers was gone._

" _W-what?"_

" _As Empress, there can be no hesitation. My subjects are to be loved as though they are my own flesh and blood children…and you've taken so many of them from me." Ruby said coldly before kneeling down in the pool of blood, not caring about the red stains appearing on her white dress. "Still I will honor my duty as the last of your family and stay with you for your final moments." Ruby said as she forced Raven's hand into her own._

" _Heh, how about that…" Raven trailed off weakly as the blood-loss made her see Summer in Ruby's place. "…I never could beat you…you even had the stronger child." Raven chuckled deliriously as Ruby watched the life leave her eyes._

" _I need to get changed." Ruby murmured before standing up and glancing at Jaune whom nodded and began to follow her. "Good job Nora."_

" _I aim to please." Nora said as Ruby and Jaune departed while Ren sent some of his men to clean up the body._

 _ **BGM: END**_

 **-Present Day: Beacon-**

Nora was lost in memories of the past as she bench-pressed two thousand pounds of weight.

Train.

Train.

Train.

And more training.

In the first two weeks of joining Beacon, that's all Team JNPR did once classes and social time ended. Glynda had the foresight to have their room soundproofed when Ozpin was out of town before the semester began. Between Ren and Nora putting their beds together, and the Knights as a whole bringing lesser luggage than they had in the first time-line, it was safe to say they had more than enough free space in their room.

What did they do with said space you might ask?

They purchased enough weights and equipment to turn their room into a second gym which they would use when they woke up at the crack of dawn. Between Jaune and Pyrrha's full-body spartan work outs, Nora's godlike weight-training, and Ren's meditation and tai-chi exercises each member of JNPR pushed themselves to their physical and spiritual limits.

And that was before breakfast.

After that they would attend classes, train, eat lunch, attend more classes, and then train some more at the school's actual gym, run some laps around the school, hang out with their sister team RWBY, eat dinner, and sleep. It was a strict routine.

But it was their routine.

Honestly, training _was_ Pyrrha's hobby so she was used to this, but even she couldn't help but motivated by the dedication her team was showing in bettering themselves.

It honestly almost brought a tear to her eye.

"Ah! Come on! Ninety-five! Ninety-six!" Nora grit out as she benched pressed 1-ton of weight, flames of determination burning brightly in her eyes. When Pyrrha had first seen the massive weight, which had 1000 thousand pounds on both sides, the Spartan had thought it was a prop, something Nora had just to mess with people.

Then she tried to lift it.

Pyrrha had never been so humbled in her life.

When the others called Nora the strongest Knight, Pyrrha realized at that moment that they had meant that very literally. She may have had the most natural skill, pushed to its limits by the Empress' blessing. However, when it came to raw power, Nora outclassed her greatly. It took her two weeks, but in that two weeks, Pyrrha had learned just how well her team fit together.

Jaune.

He was the second strongest physically, had the best defense out of all of them, and-if she were simply being honest-was the smartest in the team. Though he was also the slowest and least nimble by far, still it made sense to her very quickly why he had been made the leader.

Nora.

She was the strongest and actually even the fastest of the team, faster than Ren, which surprised the Spartan until she saw a sample of Nora's Semblance. Despite her speed and strength, however, her defensive capabilities were low, only barely better than Ren's. She also wasn't exactly the smartest, book-sense wise. When it came to people and social situations, however, it was a completely different story. Nora could read them all like a book.

Ren.

He had the worst defense out of them all, but his speed which was on par with her own, and nimbleness-which surpassed her greatly more than made up for it. Emotionally, he was the strongest; she could tell immediately that he was the one who could remain the calmest in any situation. He was also the stealthiest, the man had snuck up on all of them more times than she could count. He wasn't the strongest offensively, but he was clearly the most _lethal._ She had a feeling fights with him didn't tend to last long and that out of all the Knights he was the most willing to cross the line and play for keeps if necessary.

He was a _legitimate_ Ninja.

She shuddered at the thought of anyone making Ren lose his cool.

Then, there was herself.

She was a better marksman than all of them which had surprised her. Then again with a grenade launcher, sword, and rapid-fire guns as their weapons, she supposed aiming probably wasn't something they dealt with as intimately as she did. That was it, however, as she came relatively close to but unable to surpass her teammates in the areas they excelled at.

She was a jack of all trades, master of one, Jaune had joked after they all tried and failed to beat her score at the shooting range. It was her versatility, Jaune had noted, that would make her invaluable to them.

Lastly there was Glynda.

The professor was actually the most similar to her with her being on par with Pyrrha on all fronts and even then, Glynda noted that Pyrrha herself would surpass her quickly with more training. That said, of all the Knights, the teacher easily had an advantage when it came to experience and wisdom. Her command over dust was easily the most superior of the Knights and not only that but her Semblance was, if Pyrrha were to be kind, _broken._

She had thought her's was pretty bad, the way she could control metal, but Glynda's? It was like her Semblance but amped up since it could work on _anything._ The sheer mastery she had over it as well…let's just say, Pyrrha quickly joined her fellow Knights in being terrified of the Royal Advisor.

"One hundred!" Nora shouted, snapping Pyrrha from her thoughts as Jaune stopped curling his dumbbell. The visible strain Jaune had when helping Nora put up the weight once again reaffirmed the absurd strength of the smallest Knight. "Yeah, there we go! Look at these gains!" Nora said proudly as she flexed her bicep, which impressive on her small frame, didn't look all that big until one realized that her muscles were simply far denser than the average person.

"Impressive." Ren complimented as he calmly moved his body through various forms while take deep breaths. "Might be time for you to increase your weight again."

"Yeah but what am I going to do with the old one?" Nora asked with a confused frown before snapping her fingers and turning to her leader with a grin. "How about you, cap? Want my old weights when I'm done?"

"Nora…it's impossible for me to use them like you." Jaune said with a chuckle. "We might have to toss it."

"Aw, but that seems like such a waste." Nora said with a pout before patting the weight sadly. "Don't worry old faithful, we'll find you a home."

"Actually…" Jaune trailed off as a thought occurred to him. There was _one_ person who could inherit Nora's old equipment. "Why not give them to Yang? She is _your_ responsibility after all." Jaune said making Nora grin.

"That's right!"

 **-Flashback: 2 weeks prior: Glynda's Office-**

" _Also…" Glynda began as she looked at the four Knights. "It's time we looked into finding new cadets to train. The four of us can only do so much after all. If we want the Knight program to reach its former glory; you three need to find protégés and train them until Ruby learns how to control her power." Glynda said as she looked at Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha_

" _Wait, what about me?" Jaune asked with a frown making Glynda shake her head._

" _I'll need you with me to assist in Ruby's combat training. I've dabbled in close-quarters combat but its clearly not my forte. You're just as good, if not slightly better than, I am at Aura manipulation but the way we use our Auras are as different as night and day. Your method is far more suitable for her." Glynda explained matter-of-factly "Before we even begin worrying about her eyes, it's her Semblance we need to deal with."_

" _I see your point. Aura and Semblances do go hand in hand." Jaune said after he thought about it. "Truth be told, at the moment she's barely scratched the surface of it yet. I don't even think she can make a slipstream or dematerialize just yet."_

" _Wait, what exactly is her Semblance?" Pyrrha asked curiously._

" _Speed. That's right, you were out for most of the exam." Jaune said making Pyrrha look at him slight surprise. Huntsmen were already extremely fast so she had never even given thought of someone having speed as a Semblance._

" _How fast is she?" Pyrrha asked making Nora chuckle._

" _Very fast. Even now it's hard to keep an eye on her, but compared to what we've seen her do its like she's moving in slow motion." Nora explained as Glynda nodded._

" _Before the Empress fell, Salem herself had mistaken her Semblance for time-dilation, to give you an idea." Glynda said making Pyrrha's jaw drop slightly at the thought. "Still at the moment she lacks both control and understanding, not to mention she probably has an innate fear of it."_

" _Why would she be scared of her Semblance?" Pyrrha questioned making Jaune snort as he recalled some of the stories Ruby had told him._

" _Super speed with a lack of control means she's run into her fair share of walls face first." Jaune said making Pyrrha wince slightly at the thought. "Okay, so you and I will deal with Ruby. Am I right to assume the rest of her team are who you plan to be the next recruits?"_

" _Yes…" Glynda began before sighing as she rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Look, I will be blunt, even in the first time-line, Team RWBY and your team were honestly the only teams that even mattered in your year, everyone else might as well have been shadows on the wall. The skill gap was…quite unnerving between you eight and everyone else."_

" _Eight? Hold up, I sucked though." Jaune said incredulously as Ren and Nora looked at her in shock, finally getting some insight on how their professor had viewed them. Pyrrha just looked dismayed that her fellow hunters on average were that much weaker than them to the point it caused Glynda to be visibly stressed._

 _Yes, she wanted to escape her fame._

 _But she wanted a challenge too!_

" _Please tell me I wasn't undefeated." Pyrrha begged making Glynda scoff._

" _So, you want me to lie to you then, Ms. Nikos?"_

" _Damnit…" Pyrrha cursed, surprising them as she placed her face in her hands and they weren't sure but it looked like she was weeping._

" _Anyway Arc, yes, your skills were…less than desirable…but you showed consistent improvement, actually listened to my advice, and scored highest on the strategy portions of the class. You tried, which is why I gave you my contact information back then." Glynda explained before shrugging. "Still you opted to be tutored by Pyrrha instead and it worked out well."_

" _A will to learn." Ren spoke up getting their attention. "Now that I think about it, there wasn't much motivation to improve. You were either good or you weren't, any true changes happened after the school fell."_

" _A week in the real world teaches more than a month here." Glynda said simply. "That used to not always be the case but peaceful times make weak Huntsmen. Too many complaints that the curriculum was too strict led to us…becoming lax in teaching."_

" _You?" Jaune began before snorting. "Lax?"_

" _Compare me when I trained you on the road versus teaching you in class." Glynda said making Jaune pause as he realized she had a point. He had seen her at her worst, she would have been fired if she had done what she did to them at school. "Ozpin wanted a "safe learning environment" and told me to tone it down…well safe to say that won't happen again. This is a school for Huntsmen and he will remember that when I'm through with your year." Glynda said with a dark smile that had them feeling sorry for their classmates._

" _Okay so, you and I have Ruby–"_

" _Dibs on Yang!"_

" _I shall train Blake."_

" _Wait-what?" Came the responses from Nora, Ren, and Pyrrha respectively._

" _Sorry, Newbie, Weiss-cream is all yours." Nora teased making Pyrrha look at her with a hint of betrayal. Jaune simply pattered her on the back and gave her a reassure yet sympathetic smile._

" _Don't worry, she gets better to be around…after like a year." Jaune tried to comfort her making her eye-twitch. Once again Pyrrha didn't…dislike…Weiss, none of them did-especially JNR whom knew her to be an invaluable comrade. That said, to say Weiss didn't have a tendency to be emotionally exhausting to deal with would be a lie._

 _Especially when she was younger._

" _Look, Weiss has the most versatile arsenal of us all. Between you and hopefully an eventual awakening from Ruby, she'll give us one hell of an edge." Jaune explained before giving her a thumb's up. "Think of this as your first mission, you've got this! I know for a fact you have a godlike amount of patience."_

" _And you all don't?" Pyrrha asked skeptically._

" _I'm too busy already." Glynda said bluntly._

" _I'm avoiding that route." Jaune deadpanned confusing her a bit but she ignored him._

" _I might break her." Nora said with a shrug._

"…" _Ren said nothing but the look he gave her unnerved her greatly._

" _You know what? Fine, I'll do it. No complaints." Pyrrha said, making them smile once she caved in._

" _Alright, now that that's settled I just have one more question to add tonight's meeting." Nora said getting their attention. "Just what do we refer to Ruby as? Because honestly it's going to be confusing differentiating between our her and the current her. Like come on, its already bad enough she shares a name with her team as well." Nora said before softening expression, especially when her eyes landed on Jaune. "On principal alone we can't treat her as if she was our Ruby, she's pretty much a different person at this point. Same with Pyrrha, she's not our Pyrrha, but she's our valued comrade all the same. Its wouldn't be fair to either of them if we simply looked at them like ghosts."_

" _Nora…" Pyrrha began, looking at her teammate in surprise._

 _Nora Valkyrie, stating the harsh truth like ripping off a band-aid since day one._

" _Straight to the point as always." Jaune said and Nora could tell her words hurt the man. "But true nonetheless, expecting Ruby to become our Ruby is unhealthy and will just lead to more problems. I don't know about you all but I can't promise I won't slip up, but I'll try."_

" _Of course, no one is expecting you to be perfect but we need to address the Goliath in the room." Nora said firmly. "We will never get over this loss but we have to at least deal with it for this world's sake. Our grief cannot rule us." Nora said seriously as she gazed at the others, Pyrrha silenced by how quick Nora's attitude changed._

 _It was then she was reminded that none of the people besides her were actually the age they appeared._

" _That's not what she would have wanted. Her soul came with us before passing on." Nora said making Pyrrha bite her lip. "That, however, should not be something to grieve over but rather rejoice."_

" _R-rejoice?" Pyrrha asked in confusion as Jaune and Ren looked at their shortest member in surprise. Glynda, however, remained silent so she could see where Nora was going with this._

" _Because of you, Pyrrha, our Empress got to pass on rather than be wiped away from existence along with that time-line." Nora said before pointing out the window, not at the beacon but rather at the sky. "Because of you, she's looking down on us right now this very moment and watching as we carry out her final mission. We will stumble, we will fall, we might even dabble in some things she wouldn't approve of but we cannot forget that she's watching us. We are her knights, her paragons of hope. Our oath? It meant something and we cannot forget that. Do you all understand?"_

 _There was nothing they could do but nod._

 _After all, what do you even say to that?_

" _Good." Nora said before her stern expression as replaced with her usual grin. "This is why I say that at least until chibi-Ruby can sit on the Empress' throne, we shall refer to her as Princess. After all, she is our Empress' heiress, right? The sister she never got to have in a way."_

" _Hm, that works." Glynda mused as she rubbed her chin in thought. "It will definitely help with the healing process."_

" _Indeed." Jaune said quietly before giving Nora a tired smile before placing a hand on her shoulder. "Your ridiculous strength aside? This, Nora, is why you are the strongest Knight here."_

" _Aww~" Nora said before playfully punching Jaune in the shoulder making him wince before chuckling as Ren smiled. Pyrrha just felt humbled for even being present for that whole exchange. It was then that she realized that these incredible people were not only her teammates but added her to their ranks as an_ _ **equal**_ _. She had never seen the Knight's order at its peak, but being here now? Rebuilding what she imagined to be a thing of pure beauty from the ground up?_

 _Pyrrha's motivation on increased._

 _ **Flashback: End**_

"Well, now that that's figured out, let's start the day guys. We've finally got adjusted to being back for the most part so we can begin training the others. Glynda and I are going to approach Ruby today, what about you all?" Jaune asked making Nora raise her hand eagerly. "Yes, Nora?"

"I'm going with a direct approach! Yang's too stubborn to listen to her faults right now, so I arranged a lesson in humility with Glynda. After today, Yang and I should be training on a regular basis." Nora said suprising Jaune greatly. Give it to Nora to go big or go home. "Alright, good luck. How about you Ren?"

"I'll be subtle."

Of course.

"Blake is still having trust issues due to her past with the White Fang and being a Faunus. At least until her team discovers her heritage I'll train her discreetly. She probably won't even realize I'm testing her for a while." Ren said making Jaune nod.

"Careful, but a sound strategy. And you Pyrrha?"

"A mix of both." Pyrrha explained making Jaune raise an eye-brow. "I'll tell Weiss I want a consistent sparring partner which she had asked me to be earlier. I'll slowly but surely show her the difference between us and I'll leave it to her pride to force her to try and keep up.

"That's pretty good actually. Make her faults work for you, good job!" Jaune said with a grin making her nod with a smile. "Alright now I'm sweaty and stinky so can we please figure out who's getting the shower first?" Jaune said as they looked at each other, before they all made a mad-dash towards the bathroom.

 **-Later: Combat Class-**

"Okay students, your attention please." Glynda began as she got the attention of her class. "The last couple of weeks have been what you could call…a tutorial to give you an idea of what classes should be like for the remainder of the year. From the spars I've set up, I have gained an accurate idea of your current skill levels and as such have assigned your current rank in the class." Glynda said making the students murmur in excitement, surprise, and even fear.

" _Oh? I thought that was an end of the year thing."_ Jaune thought as he glanced at his teammates whom all looked just as surprised as he did…well except Nora…Nora just grinned.

"What? We get rankings so early!?" Ruby squeaked out next to him, her eyes wide in shock.

"Normally, these would be given out at the end of the semester and even then, each one of you would receive your rankings privately. That said…" Glynda began as she smacked her riding crop on a nearby desk making them all straighten up. "That shall no longer be the case. The Vytal Festival will be hosted here next semester which means we need to have a good showing. You all must receive accurate, real-time, information on your progress if we want to maximize the results of your training. You're here to learn how to be Huntsmen, not coddled like children. I will not speak for my colleagues but my course will be brutal and you will learn… _or else."_ Glynda said coldly.

A chill went through the room.

"Ten teams are in this classroom, forty hunters. If you are, in fact, the unfortunate individual ranked last. I suggest you leave and go home and live your life doing something else because you _will_ end up in a body-bag if you try to legitimately follow this career path." Glynda said with brutal honesty as the students looked at her in shock.

"Man, who pissed Goodwitch off?" Jaune could hear Yang whisper to Blake whom looked just as surprised by the woman's sudden attitude shift as everyone else.

"Is it bad that I'm a bit scared?" Ruby asked Jaune, a look of dread on her face.

"Eh? Why? I've seen you fight, there's no way you're at the bottom." Jaune reassured her as Ruby still looked unsure, after all everyone else in the class had at least two more years of formal combat training than she did.

"Now, look at the monitor to find both your individual rank and the overall rank of your team." Glynda said as she turned on the monitor. And at once, everyone's eyes widened at the results.

 _ **Pyrrha Nikos, Team Rank: 1**_

 _ **Jaune Arc, Team Rank: 1**_

 _ **Nora Valkyrie, Team Rank: 1**_

 _ **Lie Ren, Team Rank: 1**_

 _ **Yang Xiao-Long, Team Rank: 2**_

 _ **Weiss Schnee, Team Rank: 2**_

 _ **Blake Belladonna, Team Rank 2**_

 _ **Ruby Rose, Team Rank 2**_

…

 _ **...**_

" _Sixth!?"_ Weiss called out incredulously as if she were personally offended by the rankings. Pyrrha she could understand, honestly everyone in the room could, but she was not expecting to be behind rest of Pyrrha's team and even Yang.

"Won't lie, I'm kind of salty." Jaune said before standing up and pointing at Pyrrha dramatically. "One v one me!" Jaune challenged making everyone sweat-drop, though Pyrrha got a look of fire in her eyes.

"Time and place." Pyrrha said as sparks seemed to shoot between the two.

"Now, now, you can settle that on your own time." Glynda said as Jaune sat back down.

"But… _sixth?"_ Weiss called out again only to be promptly ignored.

"The ranks that matter most in this class are the top eight. Why? Because you are all placed in teams of four, that's two-teams' worth of positions. As you have probably noticed there are exactly two teams filling these eight ranks. Yes, individual skill is important, but, if you don't help your own allies try to better themselves than you are part of the problem." Glynda said and idly noticed that was enough to snap Weiss out of her shock. The heiress looked at her thoughtfully before glancing at team JNPR and her team.

Team JNPR was taking the entire thing in stride, joking with each other, smiles on their faces. She, like many of the other students, thought that Pyrrha would carry that team yet, as the ranks showed, they were all pulling their weight. So much so that each one of them had surpassed her entire team.

And speaking of her team.

She could spot Yang grinning at her rank, pulling her sister into a hug as Ruby praised her. Even Blake offered her congratulations before said blonde praised them for their rankings. Their team had not been ranked number one, yet they were all taking it in stride and even making threats to their sister team about dethroning them. There was a solidarity amongst them.

A solidarity that she was not a part of.

And she was beginning to realize that it was probably her fault.

" _Part of the problem, huh?"_ Weiss thought to herself as she looked at Ruby's rank.

Eighth.

The first thing that came to Weiss' mind was to berate Ruby, she was their leader yet she was the lowest rank of them and ultimately pulled them down.

" _But she's your partner."_ Weiss realized, a moment of clarity. Ruby was two years younger than them, normally that wouldn't mean so much but then Weiss factored in that Ruby had been skipped ahead. She lost two years of fundamental combat education and _still_ came in eight out of forty. In fact, if Ruby had been higher than any of them it would say more bad things about them than good about her.

It was then Weiss had a scary thought.

" _What if Ruby had been older?"_ Weiss thought to herself. Someone she had deemed a child was only two places away from her. It was then that Weiss realized she had her answer when she saw Yang's rank. _"I would be ranked seventh."_

Safe to say, Weiss no longer doubted the credibility of Ruby's acceptance.

However, something strange happened at that moment, for once Weiss had felt something towards the younger huntress that wasn't borderline hate. For once she felt…

Pride.

"Sorry guys." Ruby's voice said sheepishly snapping Weiss from her thoughts. "Didn't mean to drag us down." Both Yang and Jaune went to say something to her but it was Weiss who beat them to it.

"Doesn't matter, _we'll_ just have to get them next time." Weiss muttered before glancing away from them, trying to block out the shocked expressions her teammates were giving her. They looked at her as if she had personally just frozen hell itself. "What!?" Weiss snapped sounding irritated. "Obviously Ruby's lack of education led to her rank, we'll just have to make sure she focuses more on her studies, right?"

" _Well, I'll be damned."_ Jaune thought as he glanced at his teammates in shock.

"Hm…" Pyrrha frowned as she eyes Weiss thoughtfully for a moment. Perhaps she had judged her a bit too quickly after all.

"Attention!" Glynda called out as she once more silenced the class and regained their attention. Though her comrades could tell she was pleased that her decision had the desired effects. Weiss was a huntress that primarily went with the facts, so Glynda gave her some. Ruby wasn't as good as her yet but she was far from as bad as Weiss initially believed. "Now how many of you plan to win the Vytal tournament?"

Glynda could tell that a lot of them were now rethinking their chances now that she put their strengths in perspective.

"We'll bring it home, we just have to train harder than ever, Right?" Yang said with a grin as Ruby fist-pumped.

"Yeah!"

"Oh really?" Glynda called out making them pause. "Because here is something you might like to be aware of." Glynda said as she glanced around the room. "If you can't _at least_ touch the fourth rank, you might as give up on the trophy. Team JNPR is what we call…a fluke." Glynda said as she gestured towards the team. "The difference between the fourth and fifth ranks are as different as night and day."

It was kind of ironic that those ranks consisted of Ren and Yang.

"So, let me give you all an incentive. The first four ranks will be exempt from all classwork from me for the rest of the semester." Glynda said, a small smile on her face as the students began to murmur excitedly before she continued. "Should you hold one of the first four ranks, your work will consist of solely holding your position and at the end of the week, you will receive full marks for any assignment given out. Once per class one of you can challenge JNPR for their position but note, the member you face will be at random."

This turned the excitement into panic.

Because God forbid they challenged JNPR and ended up facing Pyrrha.

"I don't care, teach! No homework is way too good of an offer to pass up!" Yang said as she stood up with a grin. "Can I challenge one of them now?"

"We have time, so I don't see why not." Glynda said her small smile sending a chill down everyone's spines. Nora's grin never wavered as they all watched as Yang's picture and Aura level replaced the rankings on the monitor before Glynda beckoned her to go to the arena. "The first challenger shall be Yang Xiao-Long, and her opponent will be…" Glynda trailed off as the screen began to randomly cycle between the members of JNPR.

 _ ***Ding***_

"Nora Valkyrie." Glynda said as Nora's image appeared making Jaune frown slightly.

Yeah.

This was rigged.

Still, he schooled his expression quickly as he leaned back in his seat, curious to see how this was going to play out. Once Nora finished skipping to the arena, she quickly pulled out Magnhild, turning it into its hammer form, before slamming it into the arena ground. Nora grinned at Yang whom smirked back at her as Glynda watched the soon-to-be combatants closely.

"Nora…" Ren said quietly getting Jaune's attention as he glanced at the ninja. The blond frowned when he saw an inexplicable look of sadness on Ren's face before he slipped his emotionless mask back on with practiced ease. It was then that Jaune realized that Nora had a deeper reasoning for wanting to face Yang that none of them, but possibly Ren, knew. Jaune and Glynda had gotten much better at it, but at the end of the day Ren was the only one whom could truly see behind Nora's smiles.

 **BGM: Neon-RWBY OST**

"Yeah, go get her Yang!" Ruby cheered before blinking as she noticed the silent member of team JNPR. "Uh…aren't you guys going to cheer for Nora?" Ruby asked, startling them from their thoughts.

"Nah, you see our ranks? We know she's got this Crater Face." Jaune said cockily making Ruby stick her tongue out at him before cheering for her sister, some of her classmates joining in as they split between Nora and Yang.

"Hope you're ready for this, no hard feelings." Yang said with a smirk before slamming her fists together as Magnhild began to generate electricity.

"Back at you, blondie!" Nora said as electricity coursed over her body while Yang's gauntlets covered her fists.

"Combatants, get ready." Glynda called out before nodding her head. "Begin." Yang wasted no time in cocking her fist back before releasing a blast of her gauntlets right at Nora.

 _ ***Bang!***_

" _What?"_ Yang thought in confusion as the blast ended up colliding into Magnhild as Nora was nowhere to be found. It didn't make any sense to the brawler, nearly immediately after the fight start, Nora simply disappeared into thin air.

 _ ***Crackle!***_

"Yang, behind you!" Ruby called out making Yang's eyes widen as she glanced back just in time for Nora to slam a lightning reinforced punch to Yang's face which sent her rag-dolling across the arena floor.

 _ ***Crack!***_

The class collectively jumped, when Glynda cracked her riding crop against the railing.

"Ms. Rose, there will be no interfering in others matches." Glynda warned her coldly making the young huntress flinch before mumbling an apology. Still, Glynda was impressed, besides herself and the Knights, Ruby was the only one that was able to track Nora's movements, no doubt a side-effect of her Semblance.

"Okay." Yang muttered as she stood up, her temper flaring slightly as her eyes briefly flashed between lilac and red. "That was a good shot. Still, aren't you going use your weapon?"

"What?" Nora asked with a laugh, pink electricity dancing around her body as she bounced in place and raised her fists. "I'm making this a fair fight, you want a chance at winning, don't you? Come on, I'm evening the odds." Nora said as he raised her fists and did a few practice punches as Yang felt her eye twitch.

"Don't…"

 _ ***BANG!***_

"…Underestimate me!" Yang shouted as she blasted forward and released a devastating right hook at Nora. However, just as her blow connected with Nora's face, the short huntress seemed to turn into pure electricity making Yang grit her teeth in pain as she suddenly found herself electrocuted "…Gah!" Yang grunted as she fell to her knees while Nora sat on the arena railing and smiled down at Yang. Yang narrowed her eyes as she looked up at the grinning Nora as smoke came from her body. It was practically instantaneous, but Yang still felt it. Nora' had not become electricity, rather, the electricity just allowed Nora to move at speeds that rivaled Ruby's. "Your Semblance." Yang muttered as she saw the peculiar way the electricity hugged Nora's body.

"I showed you mine, how about you show me yours." Nora teased as Yang cautiously raised her fists. If it was just speed, Yang could deal with it. She had enough spars with her sister to understand that so much speed came hand-in-hand with a lack control. She'd have Nora come to her and in that moment, she'd regain control over this battle. "I know what you're thinking, but believe me…" Nora began before disappearing, leaving a trail of lightning in her wake. "…you don't want me to come to you." Nora said from behind her, but Yang was ready this time.

 _ ***Bang!***_

Releasing a round from her gauntlets nearly as soon as she registered Nora's disappearance, the recoil spun her around quickly. Thanks to the trail Nora left in her wake, she was able to predict exactly where Nora would come from. A tactic she used when facing Ruby as she kept track of where her sister's rose petals went.

Once more Yang was ready.

But so was Nora.

Yang's eyes widened in alarm when her fist was stopped cold by Nora's hand, at that moment Yang realized that Nora had strength to match her speed. At lightning speed, Nora quickly flipped over the blonde, never once releasing her hand before landing and _slinging_ Yang across the arena effortlessly. The only thing Yang could see was the ceiling before Nora appeared at her side and slammed a vicious knee into Yang's back that sent her blasting up into the ceiling. However, before she could slam into it, Nora reappeared above her and punched her right back into the ground.

 **BGM: END**

 _ ***BOOOM!***_

The students winced as Yang bounced back up from the arena ground, her mouth open in pain before she found herself attacked rapidly from every angle as Nora slammed electrically powered blows into her body. Nora finished her barrage with a mid-air roundhouse kick into Yang's side that sent her crashing into the arena wall before sliding down. Yang's eyes watered from the internal pain as her body simply spasmed, leaving her unable to control it.

" _I see."_ Jaune thought as he watched Yang's aura steadily deplete despite Nora no longer attacking her. _"You attacked as many pressure points and nerve clusters as you could find to paralyze her. Right now, your electricity has Yang feeling as though her body is tearing itself apart…there is only one way for Yang to get out of this…"_ Jaune thought as his eyes narrowed at his hyper teammate. _"…and that's what you want…you're forcing her to use her Semblance, but why?"_

"Yang!" _Blake_ called out in concern, her eyes wide at the pain Yang appeared to be in while Weiss simply covered her mouth in silent horror. The blonde annoyed her at times, but that pain just felt wrong to witness…it felt _real_ , as if this wasn't a school sanctioned fight.

"Relax!" Ruby told her teammates, her voice wavered but her eyes didn't as she gazed down at Yang and saw her eyes turn red while her hair began to flicker. "With each hit she gets stronger and she uses that energy to strike back, its what makes her special!" Ruby informed them making her team look at her in surprise before looking back at Yang

 **BGM: You Say Run- My Hero Academia OST**

" _I know this seems over the top, and I know that this is probably the most pain you've felt in your young life."_ Nora thought as she forced a grin on her face as Yang slowly rose to her feet. _"But know this, you must learn this lesson here and now. You can, no will, be great."_

 _ ***FABOOOOOOOOM***_

Nora raised her arm to cover her face as the arena erupted in a blazing geyser of pure strength, the force of which actually made Nora slide back slightly as Yang stood before her with more power coursing through her than she had ever felt before.

 _ ***Flashback***_

 _Nora watched in horror as Yang stood alone on top of a mound of corpses, both Grimm and Faunus, as a crimson blade protruded from her stomach- it's wielder having long since been destroyed by the blonde brawler. Though her Semblance was shining brightly at full force, the blonde had never looked more peaceful. A tear slid down her face as she noticed the wounded Nora._

" _Thank God…I…I saved someone." Yang whispered before she simply collapsed as Nora screamed her name until her voice went hoarse._

 _ ***Flashback: End***_

" _I never knew my family."_ Nora thought as electricity seemed to spring up from her hammer and slam into her body, increasing the intensity of her own Semblance. _"And you were abandoned by your mother, discarded as weak."_ Nora thought before she and Yang suddenly shot at each other, Yang's speed actually on par with her own as her hair burned like the sun.

 _ ***BOOOOOOOOM!*  
**_

The students screamed as the windows shattered from the force of the two huntresses' fist colliding.

" _In you I found a kindred spirit."_ Nora thought before they both released another punch which collided into each other. Nora grinned, a genuine one, as Yang glared at her before they both began releasing blows at each other at speeds even Ruby had a hard time tracking as the arena floor shattered beneath their might. _"In a war dependent on fairy tales, filled with beings like the maidens, I wanted to be my own legend. Stronger than the strongest maiden so that if Salem captured them, we could still have hope."_ The Battle-Master thought as they quickly fought throughout the arena. To the average student they looked as though they were teleporting and every time they reappeared they were firmly locked in combat.

"Should we stop this?" Jaune asked quietly making Ren shake his head.

"No, let them fight."

" _Your mother viewed you as weak, but what does she know? I've trained hundreds, thousands, of knights and not one gave me the same thrill as you are right now. The feeling of hope I've only felt from my teammates and Ruby."_ Nora thought as she ducked under a blow before upper cutting Yang whom didn't flinch as her power pulsed as it increased even further. _"You're full of openings, short-tempered, and have tunnel vision to a fault in battle. So, angry you can't even speak right now. So many lessons you need to learn…but your potential is frightening."_ Nora thought as a bead of sweat slid down her face, her fists beginning to hurt as Yang's power continued to grow.

The arena was practically set ablaze as the temperature of the room sky-rocketed.

Laughter.

It took a while before Nora realized it was coming from her.

" _I will make you strong! Stronger than the strongest Knight!"_ Nora thought as she bobbed and weaved around all of Yang's blows. _"Together we will show the world not to turn a blind eye to those they see as weak, and together we will save your sister and the world!"_ Nora thought passionately before she slammed a devastating blow into Yang's chest as the Blonde rammed her fist into Nora's side. The resulting shockwave even forced Glynda shield herself for a moment as the other students were knocked back. _"So, sleep, you've earned a rest, cadet."_ Nora thought before Yang's body seemed to pulse.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

A torrent of electricity ripped through Yang's body and exited her back as her Aura shattered while she coughed up blood. Her eyes returned to their lilac color and her hair dimmed. For a moment, many of the students thought the worst until they saw that electricity had simply passed through her body and hadn't blown a hole through her. Nora held Yang tightly as the blonde lost consciousness.

 **BGM: END**

"Yang Xiao-Long's Aura has disappeared; Nora Valkyrie is the winner." Glynda called out as if two students weren't just locked into mortal combat. Yang's Aura was zero as Nora's Aura had just fallen to seventy five percent

"Aren't you supposed to end the fight, _before_ her Aura disappears?" Blake asked, a hint of accusation in her voice as she narrowed her eyes at the teacher while the other students looked at the former combatants in both fear and awe.

"The Grimm will not leave you alone once your Aura simply gets _low_ Ms. Belladonna. You're here to be a Huntress, not an athlete who fights in tournaments…no offense Ms. Nikos." Glynda said matter-of-factly.

"N-none taken." Pyrrha said before clearing her throat. The intense fight had not been what she was expecting, in fact, it got her blood pumping. These were the battles she was looking for. Oh yes, should could learn a thing about teaching from Nora and Glynda too whom managed to keep her composure the entire fight, giving lessons to the viewers as needed.

Weiss had no idea why a feeling of dread overcame her.

"Ms. Valkyrie, please take Ms. Xiao-Long to the infirmary and notify the janitor the class room is in need of repairs…again. One of your teammates will get your weapon." Glynda said making Nora nod before she picked Yang up bridal style and quickly made her way out of the room. "Now I want you all to think about the fight you witnessed. If you're not striving to be this level at least by the end of this year, you are aiming far too low." Glynda said making them pale. "Now, Mr. Arc, Ms. Rose, if you two would be so kind to stay behind."

"But–"

"Your sister will be fine, Ms. Rose." Glynda said patiently. "Our nurse is one of the best there is. I just need a moment then you can go see her." Glynda said making Ruby bite her lip before nodding her head.

"Don't worry Crater Face, she'll be fine. This was just an exercise, remember? Neither she nor Nora did any serious damage." Jaune said reassuringly. That seemed to help a bit as Ruby took a deep breath to calm herself before nodding.

"Everyone else, you are dismissed." Glynda said before the other students began to leave, many murmuring excitedly about the fight they witnessed while others did some serious self-reflecting on their skill level.

"You know, sixth isn't so bad." Weiss said after a moment. Though she had initially been miffed about herself, being a Schnee, being placed lower than a random Huntress like Yang on top of not being made team leader, now, after seeing the full force of Yang's power she felt leagues better. She was strong, yes, but not that strong. But that would be something remedied through her time at Beacon.

"Yes, but you should always strive for better. If you want, I would be willing to give you a few pointers." Pyrrha offered kindly making Weiss look at her in surprise before smiling.

"That would be splendid." Weiss said with a bright smile.

"Still, I'm concerned now. Nora's is ranked three, and we've all seen what you can do Pyrrha. Just what are Jaune and Ren capable of?" Blake wondered.

"What indeed." A calm voice said from behind Blake nearly making her jump out of her skin as she spun around to find Ren strolling next to her, Magnhild in his arms. The ninja simply raised an eye-brow at her as Blake, whom prided herself for her great situational awareness, tried to figure out how she hadn't noticed the man. "I guess only time will tell. Now shall we make our way to the infirmary?" Ren offered making them nod.

 **-Nurse office-**

"Surprised to see someone in this kind of condition from a spar, but she'll be fine." The Nurse said as she looked over the slumbering Yang. "Just Aura exhaustion. The question now is, are you okay? You say you were her opponent." The Nurse asked making Nora nod.

"I will be once you hand me that trash can." Nora said with a smile making the Nurse look at her skeptically before handing the strange Huntress the waste bin. It was at that moment, Nora's cheeks swelled before she violently emptied the contents of her stomach, and some blood, into it as the nurse leaned back in shock. This went on for a few moments until Nora finally settled down. "Thank you." Nora said politely as she handed bin back to the Nurse while wiping her mouth after the effect of Yang's blow made itself known. "Got any mints?" Nora asked as if nothing happened making the Nurse sweat-drop.

"You students get weirder and weirder…"

Nora just grinned.

 **-Glynda's Classroom-**

"Now Ms. Rose, as you are aware, you are ranked eighth in the class. While that in itself is an impressive feat given your age, you are also your team leader and the lowest ranked out of the four of you. With these facts alone its clear you are bringing your team down." Glynda said making Ruby bow her head sadly at the reminder. "I, however, am offering you a chance to fix that." Glynda said making Ruby perk up.

"What?" Ruby asked in surprise.

"The fact you are performing this well despite lacking two years of fundamental education is nothing short of astounding. This is why I'm will to set aside my own personal time and teach you privately to make up for the education you lost." Glynda said making Ruby's eyes widen. "Jaune here is a student attending under special circumstances as well." Glynda said making Ruby turn to him in shock. "Whereas Ms. Nikos acquired her necessary education and Mr. Lie and Ms. Valkyrie tested in to Beacon, Jaune here has done neither."

"Wait, really?" Ruby asked making Jaune scratch the back of his head sheepishly.

"Wait, I didn't tell you? No, I was homeschooled for a bit until Glynda here trained me. After that I just spent some time on the road with Ren and Nora." Jaune answered, suprising Ruby with familiarity he used to refer to their cold teacher. "I'm here under her recommendation and from the looks of it, her teachings paid off." Jaune said, and despite the charade at the moment, he really did mean that and Glynda herself could tell.

"If you accept my offer, Jaune will attend our extra lessons and act as a sort of teacher's aide or tutor for you. Note this is something he volunteered to do." Glynda said making Jaune nod.

"Yup, after all what are friends for?" Jaune asked with a grin. "You got a lot of potential so I won't mind helping to bring you up to speed on some things you missed. As your friend, I suggest you take the offer, Glynda's good and also I wouldn't wish what would happen to you if your rank fell on anyone."

"Wait what? What would happen?" Ruby asked frantically, her grades so far hadn't been…stellar…but it was way too early for her to be on academic probation.

"You're on a team with, partnered with, and _room_ with Weiss." Jaune said making Ruby pale as she figured out where he was going. "God help you if your rank falls and your team goes down to third or something."

He was right.

Ruby realized this with a look of abject horror. God help them all if she was the cause for any perceived threat on Weiss' academic standing.

"When and where?" Was all Ruby asked as she looked at them with an expression so firm they thought she had been replaced by their late-Empress for a moment. Glynda and Jaune glanced at each other before smiling slightly Ruby.

It was time to begin the training.

 **To be continued…**

 **And that's another chapter done!**

 **Time for the reviews!**

 **PokeSEGA64: Lol it's the thought that counts! Glad you like the chapter and expect more moments later down the road!**

 **AJ Lexie: Lol feels good to be appreciated! Glad you enjoyed the chapter, and yeah Pyrrha went nuts lol! Also, yes, Ice cream will always be the cause of countless existential crises. Is it weird that I also thought of cowboy Jaune (Not the hot part) when I wrote that lol?**

 **Bankerrtx01 (Guest): Eh, I'll get to it whenever. I'll try to keep an eye on it in future chapters for you if it matters -shrugs-**

 **Z2010Deadmeat: Glad to be back!**

 **Abyssal Angel: Holy shit it's been a minute, how have you been man? Glad you took a sip of the RWBY Kool-Aid and joined the cult :D**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Praise it! Preach my brotha!**

 **MIK23LIK: Glad the feels had its intended effect and that you enjoyed the chapter! I appreciate it and will keep a peaceful mind!**

 **Loganhunter2: Your vote has been noted, though its funny cause the Weiss an Pyrrha votes are canceling each other out lmao. Points have been noted though keep in mind that Glynda was the one dealing with the politics and even held the throne while Ruby got ready so Weiss's political experience is kind of a moot point with Glynda there. Not only that but Jaune is going to be reminded about those failures no matter what since Ruby is, well, Ruby. The fact he's even back in time is a reminder so he's constantly getting bombarded with that. Plus, Ruby needs to do more than support them emotionally. You can't be a ruler if you don't control the military or political spectrums. Glynda's teaching her how to do both so she can be self-sufficient. Still there is a bit before romance even becomes an issue with all the stuff they have to deal atm so there is more than enough time for pairings to change or adapt.**

 **Doubledamn: Think you mean Mercury but damn, yeah you gotta catch up. Coeur? Great guy/gal that loves this fandom and has a far better work ethic than me lol. The story was not bad, I actually need to catch up because I dropped it. Not because it was bad, but rather it's a long adventure and the cliffhangers were killing me. Their other works are sick too.**

 **Banko54: Glad you like it! Hope you enjoyed the update!**

 **The Immortal Siegfried: Glad you like the update, at this point Lancaster is a guarantee. We'll find soon how Pyrrha's perspective of Jaune has changed compared to her original counterpart with him now being self-sufficient.**

 **The Undying Will: As usual thanks for the help and I'm glad you liked the last chapter! Hope you feel better soon my man. (RebuffX7) And thanks for the wish, poor soul won't know what hit em' -Yuno Gasai face-**

 **Bankerrtx01: (RebuffX7) Seriously? Why do these people like you!? (RebukeX7) CAUSE I AM THE MAN WITH THE PLAN! THE THUNDER FROM DOWN UNDER THE- (RebuffX7) God damn it…**

 **Torrak07: Glad you are enjoying the ride!**

 **DopplerDee: I accept that blame lol. Glad you like the running gag and also you point as been more than noted…it has been ASSIMILATED!**

 **Too Lazy Too Log: We all need that one person that just puts everyone in check lol. Not sure about my update rate but so far, it's been pretty good recently, lets hope it continues. Honestly, I don't know about the new readers of my work, but at this point the old one are probably just wanting to see what I do. I've done both monogamous and polyamorous pairings and the thing about my poly ones is that I make the characters work for it. Like its not like a guy wakes up and gets jumped by women, the issues (such as time and attention) and realistic responses to certain issues makes the way I write them more appealing to my older readers. Still you vote has been noted, thanks for the feedback!**

 **DrREchizen: Feeling a bit better and glad you like it! Jaune has always supposed to be the realest character, even in this story, he's the most relatable. He's stronger, but clearly won't be the strongest. People tend remove the human aspect from Jaune and in turn remove his whole character in fanfics. (RebuffX7) Your thanks has been noted! Updates might be slower now that im returning to my old job of assisting Rebuke but they will still happen! (RebukeX7) Thanks, I'll try not to do that!**

 **Critic-Chris: Lol don't let it go, hold it tight! And yeah that's a great title lmao!**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Hell yeah! She's gonna show why she's the Invincible girl! Ozpin is king troll and I'm glad you liked that part lol.**

 **Mad King Qrow: Indeed.**

 **DanteNaru: Glad you like the chapter! Hopefully I can keep you on this feels trip!**

 **DxDragon3895: Lol yeah that last update was faster than I had planned, glad you liked the latest knighting. She was the last of the Empress' Knights, fitting as the only missing member of JNPR. From now on its WBY's time to prepare for knighthood. As for how, I'll tie it in? Probably with flashbacks like the Raven one.**

 **Ferpet: I LIVEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE and I'll try not to man!**

 **Tnt24tyron: Hey any feedback helps and yeah Jaune is a main character in this story but he's not THE main character, if anything this is Ruby's tale which would make her the center of any romance monogamous or otherwise. Thanks for the feedback!**

 **Najdrox: Lol glad you like it! Hmm, interesting proposal, I'll have to sit on that. When I did Spidey/X-23 it was a gamble, me wanting to do something new and it worked out. Still not 100% on the future of this story but I'm thinking of ways to work out the romance thought obviously that will be save for a bit further down in the narrative.**

 **WanderingReader10: Thanks for the review! Uh WBY died, as Jaune said in the first chapter and how you can see Yang's fate in this one. No WBY never appeared in the court and Pyrrha has no silver eye powers, her eyes changing colors briefly is a side-effect from being Knighted that all the Knights have.**

 _ **Thanks for the reviews and as always, stay classy!**_

 _ **~RebukeX7**_


	5. Glynda's Gambit

**Disclaimer: Don't own RWBY but I do own a copy of the vol. 4 OST**

 **BETAED BY: The Undying Will**

 **Rebuke: Yo the fact I got this out this month is a miracle. After recovering from writing "The Best Man", life, and reaching personal deadlines for my own stories I thought this was going to be a September release. But I reached my chapter goal for my story a lot sooner and had time to type this out so consider this a birthday present! (My birthday is August 16** **th** **) let's party! Woooohooooo**

 **Rebuff: That's…that's not how birthday gifts work..**

 **Rebuke: I** _ **said**_ **wooooohoooooooo**

 **Rebuff:…I'm not getting paid enough for this.**

 **Chapter 5: Glynda's Gambit, A Schism in Beacon**

 **-Combat Class-**

"Now to the final matter of business." Glynda began as she placed a bottle of pills down on her desk after Ruby departed. "Here's your refill, I figured you were running low." Glynda said making Jaune grimace at the sight of the bottle.

"God, really? You know I hate these." Jaune muttered though Glynda paid him no mind. "Go back in time and I still can't escape this crap." Jaune muttered as he picked up the bottle.

"Both Ren and Nora have made it clear to me that you still need these." Glynda said pointedly. "I went out of my way to acquire this prescription for you. You _will_ take your medicine." Glynda said with a tone that left no room for arguments.

"I don't need them." Jaune said making Glynda scoff.

"Tell me, have the nightmares stopped? Have the hallucinations? Do you still hear the voices?" Glynda asked knowingly making Jaune avert his eyes. "Your mind is currently our most valuable asset, and you _will_ take care of it. Or would you prefer we have counseling instead?"

"You know very well we don't have time to be wasting on counseling." Jaune said as Glynda crossed her arms.

"Then you will take your medicine." Glynda said firmly. "Need I remind you that this was an order from her highness?"

"No…" Jaune muttered feeling like a child getting scolded by his mother. It was then Glynda sighed as he moved around her desk so that she could place a comforting hand on his shoulder.

"You know that none of us see you as less for this."

"Then why do I feel like it?" Jaune challenged. "It's always me, the one who's too weak. You all have seen the same things I have, so why am I the only one in danger of breaking?"

"We have seen the same horrors, that is true." Glynda said as she gazed into his eyes. "But listen to me, none of us were as closely connected to those horrors as you were. We didn't lose our families in that war, our partners, our _lover_. Ren's men stayed off the battlefield and were covert. Nora's, she trained at the capital, you however, you personally led men to batter after battle and had them rise and fall at your command."

"Glynda…"

"No, you will listen." Glynda ordered calmly but firmly as she reminded Jaune just who was in charge in Ruby's absence. "We don't see you as weak because you're _breaking,_ we see you as the best because you _haven't broken_ when we surely would have. This is why you are the Captain, and we need you at your best." Glynda said before holding him in a motherly embrace. "Is that understood?" Glynda asked quietly.

"Yes." Jaune said with a sigh as he quickly returned the embrace before they separated. Opening the bottle, Jaune put a red pill in his hand before swallowing it.

 _ ***Bzzt***_

Frowning, Glynda checked her scroll before grimacing, making Jaune look at her in concern.

"What's wrong?"

"Seems I underestimated the rumor-mill greatly. Word of today's class has already reached Ozpin and he's calling for an emergency meeting." Glynda said as she shook her head. "Go on and prepare for tonight's lessons. I had a…controversial idea that I wanted to run by you but it looks like I may have to wing it."

"Controversial?" Jaune asked with a frown, he could count on one hand how many times they had…controversial…ideas but when they did, they had a tendency of testing their loyalty to each other. "That bad?"

"That bad, but if it works, we could gain quite the edge in this war." Glynda explained as they walked towards the door. "Again, we will talk more about it later. Just make sure to give the others some notice."

"Will do." Jaune said with a nod before they went in separate directions.

 **-Later: Ozpin's Office-**

Immediately upon entering the office, Glynda was greeted with the sight of Ozpin sitting behind his desk with Oobleck and Port standing around looking confused.

"Ozpin." Glynda greeted before nodding towards her co-workers.

"Ah Glynda, how glad you could join us." Ozpin said as the woman simply crossed her arms.

"You called for a meeting?" Glynda asked making Ozpin nod.

"Yes, but I believe you can guess why." Ozpin said as he looked up at her, his face serious. An expression she matched easily as the other two looked more than a little uncomfortable being trapped in the tense atmosphere.

"Please, enlighten me." Glynda said, her eyes narrowing.

"It's about your class this afternoon. They say you not only revealed student rankings to the whole class, but you allowed a spar to continue until one of your student's Aura were completely depleted." Ozpin said making Port and Oobleck look at her in shock.

"My word!" Oobleck said as he fixed his glasses.

"And?" Glynda asked coldly, sending a shiver down her coworkers' spine as Ozpin pursed his lips for a moment.

"Need I remind you that we are here to promote a safe learning environment? Where students can grow in a safe environment?" Ozpin asked making Glynda scoff.

"Need I remind _you_ that the world is not a safe place? That coddling them will only lead to their demise if they seek to pursue this profession?" Glynda countered making Ozpin narrow his eyes at her.

"They're children, Glynda."

"They're _warriors,_ Ozpin." Glynda said firmly, her own temper beginning to flare slightly. "Every year, the graduating huntsmen grow more pathetic because of your foolish coddling." Glynda said with a scoff. "And I am done playing along with it. As should you all." Glynda said as she turned to face the other two.

"Glynda…" Ozpin warned making Glynda raise her hand.

"No, you called me in, you are going to listen." Glynda interrupted. "Quick, tell me who the best team is that we can offer."

"That would be, Team CFVY." Oobleck said instantly before wilting slightly as he found himself stepping into the argument. He couldn't help it, he had a habit of answering obvious questions impulsively when they were asked.

"Exactly, a second-year team." Glynda began as she glanced around the room. "There was once a time where their level would be the _standard_ for second years, but now they are the best of the whole school? Need I remind you gentlemen that we are a four-year institution?" Glynda asked rhetorically. "So how is it that our third and fourth years are worse than a second-year team? I would understand if they were prodigies, but no. I believe we all know what true prodigies look like, we have recently gotten quite the reminder."

"Ah, you're referring to Ms. Nikos?" Port asked making Glynda nod.

"Among others. Gentlemen we were given eight Huntsmen this year, two teams, with potential the likes this academy has never seen. Potential far above my school days or Team STRQ's." Glynda said making them look at her in surprise at the praise she had given. "Can you even comprehend that? It's a new age, gentlemen, and I will be damned if I waste that potential. These students came to use to learn, _one_ of us has to teach them something."

"Excuse me!?" Oobleck interrupted sounding a bit affronted as did Port. "Are you implying that we do not teach the students?"

"Implying? No, I'm telling you." Glynda said bluntly. "Port, there was once a time you would take students into the forest and show them how to handle the fiercest of Grimm, now you bring in pathetic specimens that could be placed in a damned petting zoo." Glynda said with a scoff making Port flinch. "Oobleck, you used to teach them _history_ that wasn't sugar coated. The harsh truth that comes with war and Grimm invasions, but now? All of your lessons I can replicate with five minutes of search time on my scroll." Glynda said making Oobleck flinch as well.

She knew she was being harsh…

….But she knew she was speaking the truth as well and so did they.

"And don't get me started on Professor Peach." Glynda said making them shudder. "You're lucky she's on vacation or she'd be agreeing with me. Still, it's not just your fault our students have been sub-par. I am the combat instructor, I have the most blame. There was once a time, students would _dread_ coming to my class, but now they don't even take their spars seriously since I end it when they feel a little bit of pain." Glynda said with a sneer. "No more coddling. Those days are done. These students will learn to fight."

"And you honestly don't think you're being a bit excessive?" Ozpin asked skeptically. "Ms. Xiao-Long's Aura was _depleted_."

"She entered a situation _knowingly at a disadvantage_ and faced the consequences. Her Aura was low? So what? If she was still conscious I would have made her continue." Glynda revealed, making all three of the men look at her in silent horror. "Guess what? If you can stand you can fight, losing your aura doesn't mean losing a battle."

The silence in the office was deafening.

"The moment these students picked up their weapons, they ceased to be children. You all know this, it's not spoken of much but it's the _law._ They are to be treated like men and women who are placing their lives on the line, _which they are._ " Glynda said before raising her hands in surrender. "I just can't knowingly be part of the problem anymore. Any death of our students out in the world is on us and our ability–or inability–to teach. Fire me if you must, but I'm done pretending like the world is a great place for them, _Headmaster."_ Glynda said making Ozpin tense.

"Glynda, we are in a time of peace."

"Bullsh–"

"Port, Oobleck, leave us for a moment please." Ozpin interrupted Glynda as the two professors looked at her in confusion before awkwardly making their way to the door.

"Port, Oobleck." Glynda said making them stop just as they reach the door but they didn't look back at her. "You know I'm right." Glynda said knowingly, making them tense and even though she couldn't see it with her back to them, she felt that they understood her. "You're both great men and greater professors, don't continue being part of the problem." Glynda said making them pause before they continued on out of the door.

"Glynda where and when did I lose your faith in me?"

"Hard to lose something you shouldn't have had in the first place." Glynda said and her heart clenched at the brief look of hurt that crossed his face before he covered it up. "No, sorry, that is not fair at all. Ozpin, you've done your best, but even you should be able to tell that this isn't working anymore. This conflict has long since passed the point of containing it. This war can't be fought in the shadows much longer." Glynda said as she approached his desk and placed her hands on it. She gazed into his eyes, doing her best to make sure he understood that she was not his enemy. "We need to get them ready, Ozpin. Help _me,_ help _them._ "

"You sound like James."

"Please." Glynda said with a sneer. "James is a fool, believing his toys can fix the problem. I understand that the last wars have all beeen solved thanks to the Human and Faunus factors, not because of who has the biggest sword. You're waiting for a guardian, that I understand, but you need to get that a single guardian is not enough."

Empress Rose, as powerful and great as she was, would not have been able to do what she did without her own set of guardians.

"You don't need a paragon, you need _paragons_ , huntsmen, heroes, that will keep us together when Salem finally tries to rip us apart. You have an entire school of them, so get them ready!" Glynda said passionately as she tried her hardest to find any semblance of understanding in his eyes. "Putting all your efforts into one person will just have them end up like Summer."

"That's not the same...I…I made a mistake…" Ozpin said making Glynda shake her head.

"That mistake cost two of our best new students their mother." Glynda said pointedly. "I wonder…if...if she hadn't come to this school, would you have played God and sacrificed me instead?" Glynda wondered.

Ozpin said nothing.

But Glynda didn't care.

She already knew the answer.

"We just need to get someone strong enough to inherit the fall maiden's power and–"

"–and what!?" Glynda asked, her composure finally cracking. Ozpin shuddered for a moment as Glynda's semblance flared sending things around his office crashing to the floor. Taking a deep breath, Glynda calmed herself. She hadn't lost control in _decades._ For the one simple flare, both she and Ozpin knew that the bond between them had never been more fragile. "What do you honestly expect someone with only half the power to do? That poor woman in the vault is beyond saving, you're _torturing_ her." Glynda said quietly, her eyes glistening slightly as Ozpin shut his. "Let her _rest_."

"We can't afford that; the power could go to her killer!"

"I thought men couldn't become maidens?" Glynda asked coldly making Ozpin freeze. "Or is there something you want to tell me?"

"What are you getting at?" Ozpin asked with narrowed eyes.

"I told you to send me, call up James, anything but send the literal walking bad luck charm to her aid but you didn't." Glynda said as she clenched her fists. "And it's no fault of his, he told you himself not to send him. I even ignored your orders and went anyway but because you went out of your way to stop me, I couldn't make it in time."

Indeed, one of the first things she tried to do when she came back was save Amber. However, he didn't let her and she knew why. Ozpin was a man who treated life like a game of chess, he needed each piece to be exactly how he planned it.

He didn't want to risk her of all people becoming a Maiden.

Even though she was his most trusted ally, that was simply too much power for one person in his mind.

"I'm going to tell you the truth, Ozpin. She is going to die because you tried to play God." Glynda said simply and for once Ozpin lost his composure, his own Aura flaring briefly.

"Stop saying that."

"Stop doing it." Glynda countered her own power raising against his in a way that let him know that there was far more to her than he knew. "Or do you need someone else to die before it sinks in?" Glynda asked. "If I were you, I'd let Port and Oobleck in the know, you're going to need someone to take my spot."

"What are you saying?" Ozpin asked making her raise an eyebrow.

"What do you think? I'm done being your right-hand, following your orders blindly like some sort of lemming." Glynda said with a tone of finality. "I'm not your enemy, but don't you even think of mistaking me for your ally anymore, I've seen that's bad for my health." Glynda said as she began to walk away.

"We're not done here, Glynda!"

"Yes, we are, unless you want to fire me." Glynda said as she glanced back, sounding almost hopeful at the idea. It was a calculated risk she had just made but the angered expression on Ozpin's face made it clear that it succeeded.

He wouldn't fire her.

He couldn't.

"That's what I thought, the last thing you want is for me to not be somewhere you control. This is your school, Ozpin, but keep your hands away from _my_ class." Glynda warned and she knew she had Ozpin trapped, she simply knew too much and he didn't have the heart to do what she would have to remedy that. "So wrapped up in the fairy tales and legends of the past, you forgot to try and make some new ones. Keep your maidens, I'll make something better."

"The Arc boy?" Ozpin asked but Glynda paid him no mind as she left, leaving him alone with his thoughts. A third party was beginning to rear its head in this war between him and Salem, and he –with all his power– was unable to do a thing about it.

At the very least he could find some solace in the fact her intentions weren't ill.

He hoped.

 **-Nurse's office-**

When Yang finally came to, she was confused to find herself resting in the nurse's office.

"W-what happened?" Yang groaned as she forced herself up into a sitting position, wincing as her entire body seemed to scream in pain. "Ow." Yang whimpered a bit, shutting her eyes as she tried to clear her thoughts.

"I'd take it easy if I were you, you took one hell of a beating." An all too familiar voice said making Yang's eyes widen before she turned to find Nora sitting next to her, a plate of pancakes in her hand. At that moment, the memories quickly returned to Yang.

 _ ***Flash!***_

"You." Yang said darkly, her eyes blazing red as her hair shone brightly while Nora just grinned at her.

"Me!" Nora cheered before handing the pissed off Yang the plate of pancakes. "Relax, I come in peace. Besides, you're in no condition for a rematch." Nora said with a laugh while Yang narrowed her eyes at the shorter woman. Looking at Nora suspiciously, Yang cautiously took the plate as Nora leant back in her chair. "Still I have to admit, you surprised me. You put up more of a fight than I expected."

"A lot of good that did, I was destroyed and you didn't even use your weapon." Yang muttered as she took a bite of the pancakes. Nearly as soon as she did, her semblance died down completely as her eyes widened in shock. "Oh my god, these are amazing!" Yang said in awe as she continued to eat the syrupy goodness before her.

"Ren's one hell of a cook!" Nora said with a grin. "And don't feel too bad, I'm a force of nature!" Nora said proudly, "But man, talk about hidden potential! You have a stupid amount of power in you, even more than me I bet!" Nora said, making Yang roll her eyes.

"Oh yeah? Then why did I lose?"

"Because you don't know how to use it, duh!" Nora said as Yang looked at her in surprise. "You overpowered me as the fight went on, but you were so damn hard headed you couldn't even think straight and made it very easy to outmaneuver you." Nora chastised playfully. "Can't say I blame you though, Semblances can be rough."

"Speaking from experience?" Yang asked skeptically, only to look at Nora in surprise when she nodded.

"Yeah, look, I love who I am but even I know I'm a little more energetic than you guys." Nora said before pointing her head, her grin never wavering. "I can make electricity increase my power and speed but in return it's like a crazy sugar rush. Completely scrambles my concentration. I know it gives Jaune a lot of headaches, Ren has to deal with it, and Pyrrha…well she doesn't care too much, I honestly think she just wants to fight me half the time." Nora said after a moment of thought.

"Wait, why does Ren have to deal with it?"

"Well, he has no choice but to accept me as me if he wants me to keep doing that thing he likes with my–"

"Forget I asked!" Yang interrupted, her face slightly red. She was no stranger to intimacy and joked about to constantly. That said, at the moment, she really didn't want to know what Ren and Nora got in to in their private time. Something about hearing that side of Nora just rubbed her the wrong way.

"Hm? Okay. Anyway, I get a sugar high, you become blood lusted. Same issue when you dig deep down into it, at the end of the day our semblances make thinking hard to do." Nora said with a shrug as Yang frowned a bit.

"So…what did you do?" Yang asked quietly after a moment of thought.

"Hm?"

"To concentrate, what did you do?" Yang clarified making Nora frown in thought.

"Hard to explain really, I guess you could say I lost myself into it?" Nora said making Yang look at her in confusion. "I just…let myself go, let my Semblance completely take me over so that I can see just how far I could lose myself."

"That sounds…dangerous, especially with mine." Yang muttered making Nora nod.

"Super dangerous, but here's the thing Yang. If you can force yourself back, take control over that power and yourself, you'll feel the strongest you ever have. If you can't take control of yourself, then how do you plan to protect anyone?" Nora asked curiously, as Yang looked at her in shock. "If you can do that, you'll be able to manipulate your Semblance in ways you never thought possible." Nora said before frowning. "Your team is weird." Nora said bluntly.

"Excuse me!?"

"You have raw power that full-fledged hunters could only dream of, and skill that even overshadows upperclassmen here I'm sure. You all just lack experience." Nora said with a shrug. "If you spent half a year at least out in the real world, I guarantee you'd be able to fight me on a much more even playing field."

"How can you be so sure?" Yang asked with a frown.

"It's what Jaune, Ren, and I did and we could totally kick your ass." Nora half-lied. In the last time-line she was sure that by the time they had first finished their journey to Mistral, even Jaune would have been able to give the current Yang a run for her money. "Pyrrha's just a freak of nature though, can't really explain her."

"Oh yeah?" Yang asked her eyes flickering once more only for Nora to laugh in her face.

"Definitely, wanna go again?" Nora challenged, making Yang pause as she remembered just how she ended up where she was. "Never mind, I'd just feel bad if I beat you up again like that. Which is why I wanna give you an offer."

"What kind?" Yang asked suspiciously.

"Let me tutor you." Nora said making Yang look at her in surprise. "We're both stuck in these school walls so we can't go exploring and I doubt we'll learn anything that matters in any class not run by Goodwitch. Let me teach you what I learned out there, at the very least you'll be one less burden for Ruby. Having capable teammates can only make the leader's job a lot easier after all."

"You think you can teach me to control my Semblance?" Yang asked skeptically though Nora could hear the faint sound of hope in her voice.

"As long as you help me help you. Our Semblances are similar, we absorb energy that makes us stronger and in return screws with our brains a bit." Nora said and when she put it like that, Yang could see that they had more in common than she thought.

"But what do you get out of it?" Yang asked in confusion making Nora frown.

"I need something to help a friend?" Nora asked sounding confused as Yang looked at her in shock. "You have a problem, I can fix it, pretty simple." Nora said slowly as if speaking to a child.

"O-Oh well then…you've got yourself a deal I guess." Yang said after recovering from her surprise. "Just don't come crying to me when I finally take you down though." Yang said with a smirk as Nora just laughed in response.

 **-Glynda's Office: Later-**

"You did, _what?"_ Jaune asked incredulously as he and the knights stood in Glynda's office. Each one of them, including Ren, had a look of disbelief on their faces as they stared at the royal advisor.

 _*sip*_

"Made Ozpin our enemy." Glynda repeated for him, sipping her coffee as if she had just mentioned something about the weather.

"But…why?" Ren asked looking a bit puzzled.

"Because I need more freedom." Glynda answered simply. "If I'm constantly by his side then I have little room to do what needs to be done to help our cause. I've already gone to every secret meeting he's going to have for the foreseeable future so there is nothing left for me to gain by keeping up this charade."

"But can't he fire you at any time?" Jaune asked with a frown making Glynda smirk, a sight that sent a chill down their spines.

"Nope." Glynda said in way that reminded them of their Empress. "We have these wonderful things called unions. He can try to fire me if he wants to, but without a legitimate reason he can tell others…"

"…it won't happen." Jaune said, his eyes widening in realization. "Wait, are you blackmailing Ozpin?" Jaune asked in shock.

"…Perhaps…" Glynda said before continuing to drink her coffee as they looked at her in horror. "I have a lot of information that, if it makes its way to the public, would make Ozpin's illusion of peace shatter."

"But wouldn't that divide us?" Pyrrha asked sounding completely uncomfortable with the course of action being taken. "Isn't that what Salem wants?"

"We're already divided." Jaune said getting her attention as he rubbed his chin in thought. "If there is one thing we've learned Pyrrha, is that Salem didn't divide us, she just showed us how much we already are. Actually…this could work for us." Jaune muttered making Glynda look at him with a small smile, a hint of pride in her eyes as the other three knights looked at their leader in confusion. "Glynda's blackmailing him, but we all know that she wouldn't release that information. That said, Ozpin doesn't know that. Glynda just turned herself into an unknown variable, and believe me guys if there is anything tacticians hate it's those."

"But how does that help us?" Ren asked curiously as Jaune smirked.

"Think, there is no one in Ozpin's circle that he trusts more than Glynda. Her turning on him? There aren't many things that can shake Ozpin, but that's one. He's going to obsess over this for a while, trying to find a way to deal with this chink in his armor. He'll be sloppy which means we can move a bit more freely." Jaune said as he looked up at Glynda with a smirk. "I'll be damned you just threw sand into the all-seeing eye. You've made my own plans a lot easier."

"Ren…they're doing that thing again where they start making stupidly convoluted plots." Nora complained making Ren sigh.

"Hopefully none of us have to fake our deaths again." Ren muttered as he looked at the blondes.

"But, I don't get it, isn't he our ally?" Pyrrha asked her partner.

"That's a difficult question." Jaune said with a frown. "We're working towards similar goals, yeah, but ally is a bit strong of a word. Ozpin is a man of many secrets, many of which actually contribute to this entire war with Salem. This war isn't black and white, Pyrrha. For example, the headmaster of Haven is working with both Ozpin and Salem." Jaune revealed making Pyrrha look at him in horror.

"But why!?"

"He's a fucking coward." Nora said with a scoff making Ren frown a bit.

"Nora…" Ren began making Nora roll her eyes in annoyance, suprising Pyrrha with her bitter attitude. "He's a man trying to live in a war with no obvious outcome. Because of that he's made some very questionable choices."

"He's weak." Nora said bluntly.

"Anyway." Jaune interrupted before things could escalate. "The point I was making was that there are all types of people in the war. Too many to really call one side right or wrong, it's all about perspective. Take me for example, I'm a hero to the Empire but thousands upon thousands of White Fang have died under my command. To them I'm a monster and I can't blame them, even I can't pretend that a few innocent lives weren't lost in the crossfire." Jaune admitted. "This is a war of ideals and we, just like Ozpin or Salem, are fighting for our own."

"Believe me, Pyrrha, I understand your concerns. I too was like you in my youth." Glynda said reassuringly as she got Pyrrha's attention. "Perhaps if Ozpin hadn't played God with your life, you'd have grown old enough to learn better." Glynda said making Pyrrha stiffen a bit at the reminder of how her counter-part had fallen. "No one wins in war and sometimes monsters and saints aren't mutually exclusive titles."

"But was it really playing God? He didn't have a choice from what you all tell me–"

"What!? Didn't have a–"

"Valkyrie." Glynda interrupted Nora with a pointed stare, making the shorter woman bite her lip as she looked away with a grimace. "Pyrrha, the requirement for inheriting a Maiden's power is simple, be a female. He had enough candidates, myself included, to inherit that power. Instead, he put the pressure on you. A young huntress still in her first year. You're extremely gifted, but at that time there were simply far more powerful huntresses he could have picked. Still, he chose you. Why?" Glynda asked and Pyrrha found that she couldn't answer.

"You were young and naïve, still believing in black and white. Because of that he wanted to mold you himself into a guardian." Jaune answered before sighing as he scratched his head. "Thing is though, a guardian is nothing but a weapon at the end of the day. Even us knights, guardians of the Empire of Rose, still are her highness' weapons first and foremost."

"Written in our oath, remind me to tell it to you later." Nora said. "Personally though, I trust the Empress more, she has a better track record when it comes to keeping her Guardians alive."

"What do you mean?" Pyrrha asked making Jaune sigh.

"You weren't the first guardian Ozpin wanted to make. In fact, many of the late maidens were guardians of his at some point. Funny thing though is you were the unfortunate icing on the cake. The reason we can't trust Ozpin is because of what happened to his last guardian before you. When we found out about that…let's just say we have a good reason for wanting to keep our business as far away from him as possible." Jaune said, his fist clenching tightly even as he tried to keep a calm expression.

"What happened to them?" Pyrrha asked though she wasn't sure she wanted to know as she was positive she could have cut the tension in e room with her blade.

"You could ask her daughter, Jaune and I will be training her in a couple of hours anyway." Glynda revealed making Pyrrha's eyes widen, a feeling of dread filling her for a moment.

"Maybe another time."

"Look, we got way off topic but we're not saying go hate Ozpin. We don't…well most of us don't." Jaune corrected himself after glancing at Nora. "That said, under no circumstances should you trust that man or you'll end up as a sacrificial pawn or martyred somewhere down the line. Trust me on that."

"Seriously don't know how you guys still have any fondness for that body snatcher." Nora said dryly, confusing Pyrrha as Glynda rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"For the last time, it isn't body snatching–you know what? Never mind, I'm not going to waste my time trying to explain this for the umpteenth time. I'm not even his right-hand anymore, hate him for all I care." Glynda said sounding annoyed as Nora grinned darkly.

"Gladly."

"So, the takeaway, Glynda distracted Ozpin. Before he regains his bearings, do whatever you feel will be necessary to gain us an edge. Understood?" Jaune asked making the knights nod. "Good, dismissed. Glynda and I still have some work to do."

 **-That Evening: Glynda's Classroom-**

"Ah, just on time. Glad you could make it, Ms. Rose." Glynda said as she and Jaune spotted Ruby entering the classroom. "I trust you made an acceptable excuse for your team?"

"Yeah, told them I was going to go work on Crescent Rose and didn't want to keep them up." Ruby answered as she made her way towards them. This surprised Jaune and Glynda as Ruby was not the best liar at this age. That said, they supposed her need to avoid special treatment forced her to find a way to hide the true nature of this meeting.

"Hm, acceptable, for now." Glynda said before she gestured for them to follow her towards the arena. "Now, the reason for this is that I've notice several dangerous flaws when you fight, flaws that would have been rectified had you been given a full education."

"Are they that bad?" Ruby asked with a frown, making Glynda nod solemnly.

"Terrible." Glynda said bluntly. "Honestly if they were fixed you might even be able to break into the top four." Glynda said honestly, suprising Ruby. "The main issue we will deal with first aside from your form is your Semblance."

"What's wrong with my Semblance?" Ruby asked, looking confused.

"Well for one, you're too slow." Glynda said, making Ruby blink owlishly.

Well that was a new one.

"Huh!? What do you mean?" Ruby asked, making Glynda sigh.

"Ms. Rose, I have looked at all of you closely and as evidenced by Ms. Valkyrie and your sister's fight, Ms. Valkyrie is currently the fastest in your year if not the school." Glynda began before frowning. "That said, her speed is a byproduct of her Semblance. For someone who's Semblance is speed itself, your speed should far outclass hers. Yet it doesn't. Why? Because you only use it in short bursts and do not allow it to build up." Glynda said as she strolled towards Ruby and gazed down at her, making the red head feel smaller than she was. "Mind telling me why?"

"Uh…it's just…I don't wanna run in to anything you know? It's hard to see when I'm moving." Ruby answered, looking embarrassed.

"I see." Glynda began with a nod. "An acceptable reason." Glynda said making Ruby look up, surprised by the strict teacher's acceptance. That surprise turned into fear, however, when Glynda pulled out her whip quickly and stopped it right in front of Ruby's face making her pale. "Is what I would say if I didn't care about your progress. Your biggest flaw is that you lack control. If you cannot control yourself how could you ever hope to control a battle?" Glynda asked silencing Ruby who couldn't come up with a response. "Today and for the foreseeable future you shall be sparring with Jaune. He will help you control your speed."

"Jaune?" Ruby asked before turning to her friend in surprise. "I didn't know you were fast too."

"I'm not." Jaune said with a chuckle, confusing Ruby as Glynda put away her whip.

"Out of the two of your teams, Jaune's speed is the lowest. This makes him the eight fastest in the class."

"Then how can he help?" Ruby asked before wincing. "Uh no offense."

"Ha! None taken." Jaune said with a grin as Glynda gestured towards him.

"Because out of the eight of you, he has the best control over his Semblance. This is what we're going to teach you first, control." Glynda explained calmly. "Answer me this, did you always have access to your speed?"

"No, actually, before I began training I was really slow." Ruby answered, making Glynda nod.

"And when exactly would you say you gained your Semblance?"

"A bit after I had my Aura unlocked." Ruby answered, not knowing where Glynda was going with this.

"So, it would be safe to assume, then, that one's Aura and Semblance goes hand in hand?" Glynda asked, making Ruby nod. "What you need to understand Ms. Rose, is that Aura is more than a tool, it's a muscle. The most important one a huntsman has. And like a muscle, the more you train it–the stronger it gets." Glynda said making Ruby look at her in surprise. "Jaune if you would."

"Alright." Jaune said before closing his eyes.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

 _ ***FWOOOSH***_

" _What!?"_ Ruby's eyes widened greatly before she was forced to shield them as Jaune's body erupted in a blinding white light. She trembled a bit as she could feel his very presence surrounding her and filling the entirety of the room. For a moment, her knees actually felt a bit weak at the overwhelming sensation before Jaune stopped his Aura flow. "W-what…was that?"

"That was Jaune's Aura, amongst the students across each year, he has the most. With that amount, he also has an excellent level of control allowing him to increase the power of his Semblance and even use it to protect his allies." Glynda said before gesturing towards Ruby. "What would you do if I told you, that you have even more power than him inside of you? Not just him, but him and myself combined?" Glynda asked curiously making Ruby gape at her.

So much for normal knees.

"What!? But I-I mean I don't feel anything." Ruby said as she looked down at herself. "There is no way I have that much power! At least not without training a bit more."

"Like many parts of the body, you don't feel it until you need to use it." Glynda said wisely. "You are correct you need more training. But you don't need to train to get more power, you need to train to use what you have already. In terms of raw untapped power, you have the most in this school. I will not go into detail just yet, but you have a…condition…that I have only seen twice before." Glynda said before crossing her arms. "One of those times…was Summer." Glynda said, making Ruby's eyes widen in shock as she looked at her teacher.

"M-Mom?" Ruby asked, making Glynda nod.

"Like you, she didn't know she had it, but unlike you she didn't find out until much later." Glynda said before sighing sadly. "She was an extraordinary Huntress, one even I found myself looking up to from time to time. No doubt if she was still with us, she would have begun teaching you how to use your power. I'm going to be blunt Ms. Rose." Glynda began seriously, making sure she got Ruby's attention. "You are not, have not, and never will be 'normal'." Glynda said, making Ruby pale. "To wish to be so is to spit on the legacy left to you." Glynda said coldly and Jaune couldn't tell if she were talking about Summer or the Empress.

"But I didn't ask for it!"

"But you did ask to be a Huntress." Glynda countered calmly as she narrowed her eyes. "Don't tell me you were going to pursue this profession without giving it your all?"

"What!? Of course not!" Ruby denied, sounding offended by the very idea as Glynda smirked.

"Then allow us to help you see how much power you really have." Glynda offered. "One week. I'll show you a noticeable difference in your strength. If you don't find the results acceptable then you can continue going to your classes as you have." Glynda said as Ruby frowned in thought. "Seven days is all I need to move you from rank eight to rank seven. Not a huge transition, but enough to make my point."

"And you really think you can help me improve that much in a week?"

"No, Ms. Rose, I know I can, the issue is if you're willing to try. Under my instruction I can open up an entirely new world for you." Glynda said, making Ruby bite her lip before glancing at Jaune. As if reading her mind, the Knight just shrugged.

"Hey, she's good. A little more than a year ago I would have been dead last." Jaune said and technicallyhe wasn't lying since that would have been before his memories came to this time-line.

"Okay, I'll give your lessons a try." Ruby finally agreed before frowning. "But what are we going to do?"

"For this week? You'll work on Aura control. Aura and Semblances go hand in hand, but how they interact with one another varies from person to person. Reveal your Aura for a moment, please." Glynda asked making Ruby nod as she closed her eyes.

 _ ***Flash***_

"Good, hold that for a moment." Glynda said as Ruby stood in the room, her body covered by a crimson light. "As you spar with Jaune you will both be fighting in that state. "

"But won't that just drain us?"

"Exactly. When you train your body, you are actually damaging your muscles and when you rest, they repair and get stronger. The same goes for Aura. The more you use it, the better you use it. By doing this we are helping you get acquainted with your Aura so that you see it as more than as a shield but rather an extension of your body." Glynda explained. "Once you get that down you will be able to do things you never imagined. Jaune, if you would?" Glynda said, making Jaune nod as he stepped forward with his hand on Crocea's hilt.

 _ ***Flash***_

Once more Jaune's Aura filled the room as Glynda used her Semblance to pick up a table in the back of the classroom and raise it in the air.

 _ ***SHING!***_

Drawing his sword quickly, it released an arc of light that flew across the room and sliced the table in half. Ruby watched the table fall apart in awe before Glynda quickly repaired it. That was something she had only scene occasionally when training with her uncle Qrow.

"Simply extending the reach of your weapon is a basic but important use of Aura. This is why I am having Jaune spar with you. Unlike myself he fights close-range like you do so he'll be a more reliable source for how to use your Aura in combat." Glynda said before gesturing towards the airborne table. "Now, you try."

"What?" Ruby asked with wide-eyes as she nodded once more.

"From here, attack the table without using any ammunition." Glynda ordered making Ruby look at her nervously before pulling out Crescent Rose. Taking a deep breath, Ruby focused on her Aura. She frowned as she noticed how…stiff…it felt. It felt like a hard shell encasing her body rather than the fluid sensation she felt from Jaune. Gritting her teeth, she struggled to make the shell extend to her Scythe but managed to eventually. Her weapon glowing red, Ruby opened her eyes and swung the powerful scythe at the table. A large arch of energy flew out a few feet before dispersing harmlessly in the air, nowhere remotely close to reaching the table. Panting Ruby fell to her knees as she looked up at her still airborne target in shock.

"I'm impressed, you actually produced a visible projectile." Glynda said as she placed the table down.

"Why…why am I so tired?" Ruby asked as she panted, the light around her body.

"Check your scroll." Glynda answered. Doing as she was told, Ruby was surprised to find that twenty percent of her aura was gone. "For this exercise, less is more. You tried to force it out because you're not yet acquainted with your Aura. As a result, you made a large, dull, and unstable projectile. You literally just threw your Aura away. In a way, your attempt is what I see in you."

"A failure?"

"Wasted potential." Glynda corrected. "Now get up it's time for the spar." Glynda said, making Ruby nod as she climbed to her feet. Jaune pulled out his blade once more and twirled it lazily in his hand as Ruby once more took up her stance. Both of their bodies, glowing with their respective Aura's as Ruby looked at Jaune wearily. To say Ruby was a little apprehensive would be an understatement because the person before her was not only trained by their teacher but second only to Pyrrha.

Nora almost destroyed her sister and she was only rank four.

"Terms for this battle. Ruby you must land one hit before Jaune depletes your Aura." Glynda said, making Ruby do a double take at the one-sided rules.

"That's it?" Ruby asked skeptically and a chill went down her spine at the small smile on Glynda's face.

"That's it." Glynda said as Ruby gulped nervously before shaking her head in an attempt to calm herself down. "Get ready…" Glynda trailed off as the two opponents gazed at each other. "Begin!" Nearly as soon as she said that, Ruby disappeared in a blur of speed leaving nothing but petals in her wake as Jaune closed his eyes. Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Ruby appeared on the right side of the arena walls before lunging at Jaune.

 _ ***CRASH!*  
**_

" _W-what!?"_ Ruby wondered in confusion as she found herself flying backwards away from Jaune, shards of her Aura floating in the air as she stared in disbelief at the ceiling. However, before she could fall onto the ground, Jaune was already there to catch her.

"Looks like I win." Jaune teased as he caught her.

"What, but, how?" Ruby asked incredulously as she gave herself a pat down to make sure she was in one piece as Crimson Rose stabbed into the ground.

"I knew you'd have to stop moving before you attacked even if it was only for an instant. I also knew you'd try to flank me, the only question was which side which I found out from your petals." Jaune said with a grin. "Still, good attempt."

"No, I mean how did you just take out my Aura like that!" Ruby asked incredulously.

"Aura can enhance your weapon in a variety of ways. If the blade is good enough, a master swordsman can cut through virtually anything, including Aura." Glynda answered. "Aura is almost an absolute defense against the grim, but against other people who have Auras of their own…its best not to depend on it being a perfect shield." Glynda explained. "Through more training, you will learn how to do that as well."

"Why would I ever need to learn how to cut through Aura? I don't want to be a champion like Pyrrha." Ruby said with a frown as Jaune placed her on her feet. Glynda simply shook her head and sighed sadly.

"Ms. Rose, if you think Grimm are your only enemies as a Huntress you are sorely mistaken. You hunt monsters, not just Grimm and unfortunately people can be monsters themselves." Glynda revealed, making Ruby look at her uneasily. "I'm not teaching you how to kill, I'm teaching you how to protect yourself. When, where, and how you use what I teach you is up to you." Glynda said before she began walking away. "I'll give you a moment for your Aura to replenish somewhat. In the meantime, Jaune can walk you through some forms until I return." Glynda said before leaving.

"I didn't stand a chance." Ruby said quietly. "Am I that far behind?" Ruby wondered as Jaune frowned, debating whether or not to tell her that she was actually a bit further ahead than many of their classmates. However, a certain look appeared in her eyes that made him keep his mouth shut.

Determination.

"I really need to work harder, huh?" Ruby asked Jaune with a sigh. "Though I'm still not sure of what to make of some of the things Goodwitch said, one thing is for sure and that is that I stood no chance. I need to get stronger. If I can't beat you, then there's no way my team will be the best!" Ruby said and Jaune almost laughed at the competitive gleam in Ruby's eyes.

"It'll be a while before you can beat me." Jaune said with mock bravado. "Still, I _guess_ it's a possibility, when pigs fly." Jaune teased making Ruby stick her tongue out at him. "Come on, let me show you some forms. I used to know a powerful Scythe wielder. It's second hand knowledge but I memorized enough to help you out."

"Really? That's so cool! Who was it?" Ruby asked before looking at Jaune in confusion as she saw a heartbroken expression appear for the briefest of moments.

"A friend." Jaune answered simply and Ruby decided not to push the issue. "Now come on." Jaune said before he and Ruby began practicing. She hid it well, but Jaune knew that tonight gave Ruby plenty of questions. It was a calculated risk Glynda took, mentioning Summer, but the curiosity that she no doubt sparked within Ruby would be the insurance they needed to keep her coming to these practice lessons. Still if they wanted to truly make sure Ruby was on board, then they would need to uphold their promise of making Ruby noticeably stronger in a single week. Still, that wouldn't be hard.

The faint scratch on his armguard proved that.

 **To be continued…**

 **Next Time: Ruby's lessons continue and the validity of Glynda's training will be tested when Ruby finds herself placed against Blake for rank seven**!

 **Reviews:**

 **Littlest1: Glad you like the story so far and the changes that were made. Ruby's character is going to be an interesting one to follow. As for the pairings I'm not sure, whether its even a harem fic at this point is turning out unlikely. It all depends on how the story write's itself.**

 **Yukine: Glad to be back! I hope you liked the sequel the Wingman as well! Also, as for Red, It'll be a minute before I get back to it. SO many changes to it that I have to figure out how to deal with it**

 **BPF: Not at all at this point they have actually lived their end-game goal, they'll do whatever it takes to make sure they come out on top. Thanks for the review.**

 **AJ Lexie: Whoops fixed that real fast. Thanks and yeah, Ren is an epic ninja, still laughing at cowboy Jaune now though. Thanks for the review!**

 **Ruby-Rose117: She'll have to get farther in her training and character development before it happens but it'll happen eventually.**

 **: Glad you like the chapter. If the story goes the harem route it won't be big at all and would include Pyrrha. I will say this though, their interactions with Cinders group will definitely be something to look towards lol.**

 **Scrap333: Glad you like the story so far and I hope I can keep you enjoyed with this story for its foreseeable future. As for our Semblances and Auras, hm, well for me I'd take a simple approach concerning my weapon and have a simple desert eagle with perhaps a blade beneath the barrel in case someone gets close. I'd rather also know martial arts to deal with close-combat. My Aura would be gold and my Semblance would be me being able to heal others and give them my own aura if they are running low. In a dire situation I would be able to perform a complete resurrection at the cost of my aura if I catch someone fast enough.**

 _ **(Rebuff): As for me my Weapon would be a sword-whip. My Aura would black and my Semblance would allow me to increase the strength of myself, my allies, and our weapons greatly. It would, as a last resort, let me increase my sped/strength/reaction speed tenfold but add a draining effect to my aura making it run out faster as I fought. Looking at this, if Rebuke and I got partnered we'd help each other greatly.**_

 **(Rebuke): That's actually a bit scary, but yeah that's what she and I could come up with, hope that was what you were wondering.**

 **Frik1000: Glad you like the story so far hope I can keep you entertained with this story!**

 **Doubledamn: Lol thanks, appreciate it.**

 **Criitic-Chris: Lol I appreciate it, I'm glad you like the story!**

 **Exceptionaluser: Appreciate it! Hope you continue to look at it.**

 **THE L0NE WANDERER: Well the tensions between Ozpin and Glynda are rising as you can see in this chapter whether or not that will lead to a complete fallout remains to be seen. Glad you liked the chapter!**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Lol glad you liked the chapter and yeah Raven has to be the worst mother ever at this point lol or up there at the least.**

 **DxDragon3895: Glad you enjoyed the flashback! Lol you can expect to see some reactions when JNPR has to get a bit more serious. Oscar's fate will be explained soon and I'm glad you like my work!**

 **Dopplerdee: Hey it was a good idea and those are always welcomed! They'll definitely start touching on those issues when Ruby's training gets more intense. Glad you've stuck around this long and I hope when I start publishing my own things that you're around for that as well! Thanks for the support, you're one of the classiest of them all!**

 **DanteNaru: Lol thank you!**

 **Tnt24tryon: Lol glad you liked the fight scene, and yeah seeing how this Ruby will change and evolve will be a good insight into seeing how Empress Ruby changed offscreen.**

 **553Colinm: Thanks!**

 **BalanceM88: Hey I get it, this chapter almost didn't even make it out this month real life is a bitch sometimes lol. Glad you like how I handle flashbacks and the chapter as whole, I appreciate it. Hope you enjoyed reading the Best Man as much as I enjoyed writing it! Yeah the Dynamic I have is that Nora is the best when it comes to people and feelings underneath her hyper exterior. She's not intelligent but like you said she's wise. Happy you like the changes I made so far and hope you continue enjoying the story!**

 **Garoorar: Thanks!**

 **Bankerrtxt01: MUAHAHAH thanks for the review and as for what happened to the generals, their fates will be explained in latter chapters. Sorry for the delay but life and writing the sequel for the wingman and working on my own story for a bit got in the way.**

 **Shunshinking: Will do and here's the next chapter!**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Things will be tense to say the least.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: I think in the end the eight of them will all be around the same level (Minus Ruby of course who will surpass them all) with areas they excel in. JNPR won't be useless or anything when RWBY finally comes into their own.**

 **Some Powerfull Random Guy: Man between actually finding motivation to write it, rereading it so I actually remember where I'm going with it, and trying to get some passion about Kingdom Hearts again its going to take a little longer. Not forever or anything, but getting my footing is gonna be a minute. Still thanks for the review!**


	6. YOU HAVE THE POWER

**So, as you may have noted I didn't update last month and wait, don't worry, for once it had nothing to do with drama but rather I found myself stumped with a question about what to do with Knights of Rose as volume 5 draws near.**

 **You see, one thing that that happens a lot with writing fanfiction where the source material is ongoing is that there are always curveballs thrown in later in the plot that can affect the entire lore. (For example, if they reveal Jaune's semblance and it's not a shield, me and a lot of other authors are going to have to edit their stories. So, while I was talking with my assistant, Rebuff we came up with three options of what to do.**

 **A. Say fuck it, roll the dice, and keep updating the story as volume five premiers. (Note this will be a bit hectic but I'll bite the bullet if I have to.)**

 **B. Work on "The Tank", this will be a Collab between Rebuff and If you haven't read it yet, check it out. (Note, Rebuff is hella busy which is why the "Rebuffed" stories haven't been updated. This means slower updates, but let's be honest you're used to that from me by now, it's the main reason I never commit to a release schedule.**

 **C. Rebuff and I do a third, shorter fic, that could potentially be completed relative quick. (note, this story will be a completely original idea, not bound by canon, and will be filled with the quality you expect from us at X7 Entertainment at this point.**

 **D. Write a twilight fanfic (Blame my OCD I need to have 4 options lmao so I put a throw away one here.)**

 _ **Rebuff: You forget that you've bred a following of trolls haven't you? They'll pick that solely just to fuck with you.**_

 **Have faith, Buffy, our homies aren't that petty.**

 _ **Rebuff: Remind me to give you a lecture on human nature later.**_

 **Moving on…I swear to God don't actually pick D….Give me feedback, on which choice you want and we'll try to have the next update on whichever option before the month is up.**

 **Stay classy and be beautiful**

 **~Rebuke & Rebuff X7**

 _ **P.S. Guess who sent out their first query letter this week? This guy! Hopefully it gets accepted so I can make you all proud!**_

 _ **P.P.S. Ima add this to the list of AN's i need to replace with omakes later, don't worry**_


	7. A Champion's First Mission (Part 1)

**So…I was NOT expected the sheer fucking amount of reviews I got regarding my poll. Like seriously what the actual fuck? Between that and the PMs my email threatened to explode (I seriously had to delete a lot of emails on my phone so that the inbox could load faster, you slowed down my phone guys. Let that sink in for a second.)**

 **(Also let me start here cause clearly, I wasn't clear. I DON'T CARE about Jaune's semblance it could be heat vision for all I care lol, it was an EXAMPLE. A lot of you went blind when it came to the words "for example" for some reason. Don't know why.)**

 **So, as you probably guessed…A won so fuck it I'll update this story and besides with this current upload rate I'll be able to make changes as volume 5 goes on. That said let me clarify something, the reason I wanted to wait for volume wasn't so that I could stick to canon but rather so I had more canon to fuck with if that makes sense.**

 _ **(FOR. EXAMPLE!)**_ : **Let's pretend that I was writing a time-travel fic back before volume 3 launched and the story was about making Ruby as strong as possible. I would be jumping through hoops trying to find a way to make that possible through methods that have been at least made seemingly possible through the current story. If I waited, however in this purely hypothetical situation, I would find out Ruby has hidden Deus ex Machina powers in her eyes oor that maidens exist. THIS is what I was getting at.**

 **It's been 3 episodes (I have a star account with RT so I saw episode 3 already) And there has already been a load of stuff I can use to fuck with this story. (Don't worry if I use something and the ep hasn't aired yet, I wait a week till it does so I don't spoil people. This chapter is spoiler free.)**

 **Still, I'll just take it one update at a time and edit where needed.**

 **Also, let's go through your feedback on the other two options.**

 **Regarding option B, you've all actually motivated Rebuff to get back on it when she gets a chance so maybe you can get a Tank chapter 5 relatively soon? Depends on how much free time she has.**

 **And lastly regarding option C. I'll probably do a RWBY one-shot with it at some point (Much like how this fic originally started as a one-shot) and if the feedback is good…well…we'll see. Alright now that's all done let's get on with the show.**

 _ **Rebuff: Hold the fuck up, aren't you forgetting something? There was a fourth option.**_

 **I know not of what you speak.**

 _ **Rebuff: The hell you don't! It came in SECOND! A CLOSE second at that, I told you not to underestimate the followers. We're trolls, Reb, that means our writing attracts trolls! Now you man up and feed them.**_

 **Son of a bitch! It didn't win so I'm not obligated to do anything regarding option D.**

 _ **Rebuff: Oh, so we didn't have a personal bet that if it got more than 10 requests you'd drop a one-shot? A bet you decided to leave out of the last AN so not to motivate more trolls?**_

…

 _ **Rebuff: That's what I thought, bitch. I'll go buy the series, get prepared to binge read.**_

 **You'd actually buy the books? Are you serious?**

 _ **Rebuff: The Twilight saga? 20-40 dollars, tops. You writing fanfiction for it? Priceless.**_

 **Fine. But know this, I always get the last laugh that goes to you and every fucker that voted for it.**

 _ **Rebuff: Yeah, sure, whatever, now start the story you stalled them enough with your whining. I've got two hundred more pages of your shit to edit, if Will wasn't so busy editing your fanfiction I'd see if I could pawn it off to him.**_

 **You know you love it. Anyway, on to the story!**

 _ **Will:**_ **Actually Rebuff, I just finished dealing with my accursed enemy, the Unlimited Thesis Works invoked by my prof (and not just one thesis but two) and savoring my** _ **sweet**_ **break (I got to watch Thor: Ragnarok just a few hours ago) until it ends after a week. Also, how dare you Reb! How dare you make that kind of bet!? By the heavens, I pray for my survival because of the Twilight series itself and now you're making fanfiction of it?! That's it, I'm gonna start writing my will…**

 **Rebuff: See how you hurt those you care for?**

 **STFU.**

 **BGMs:**

 _ **Cygnus Garden-Maplestory OST**_

 _ **Black Heaven Theme Extended-Maplestory OST**_

 _ **Sexyback-Justin Timberlake**_

 _ **I Burn (Yellow Trailer)- RWBY OST**_

 **Beta Read by: The Undying Will**

 **Chapter 7: A Champion's First Mission (Part 1)**

 **-Beacon: Roof-**

 **BGM: Cygnus Garden-Maplestory OST**

It was three days after Jaune began training Ruby with Glynda that the Knight would find himself standing alone on the all too familiar roof of the school. Lost in his own thoughts, Jaune stood silently as he stared up towards the broken moon, the emerald light of Beacon's tower reflecting in his blue eyes.

"Jaune?" A voice called out snapping him from his thoughts as he turned to find Pyrrha walk. "Aren't you supposed to be training Ruby?" Pyrrha asked curiously, confused as to why the Knight was on the roof.

"Glynda took over for the rest of the night, they're focusing more on controlling her Aura from theoretical standpoint. Decided to leave the lectures to the actual teacher." Jaune joked.

"Is she going to progress enough in just a few more days?" Pyrrha asked worriedly. Chuckling, Jaune glanced at her and gave her a wink.

"Have a little faith." Jaune said teasingly. "She already had the power and skill necessary to go to rank seven. We're just spending the days showing her that, teaching her how to efficiently use what she already had while opening her mind up to new possibilities with her current skillset."

"I see." Pyrrha said looking a bit impressed. "She must have had quite the foundation to build off of. You said her uncle trained her? I wonder if I'll ever get the chance to spar with him."

"Man, you're really itching for a good fight, aren't you?" Jaune said, chuckling a bit as her cheeks reddened in embarrassment.

"No-I-er…"

"Pyrrha." Jaune interrupted with a raised eyebrow. "It's okay to be honest about what you want." Jaune said knowingly, making her avert her eyes. "You're bored out of your mind, aren't you? Modesty is a good thing, but you're humble to a fault. Just admit it, everyone is too weak to keep your interest."

"Did I talk to you about this _before?"_ Pyrrha asked quietly, making Jaune hum in thought.

"No, not really, you had a bad habit of not talking about your own problems while trying to help everyone. That said, we're partners, it wasn't hard for me to piece it together." Jaune admitted, making her sigh.

"I'm sorry. It's just…I came here to learn, to challenge myself. To improve and discover who I am. When you're constantly faced against opponents you can beat with ease, your survival instincts become lax, you begin to stagnate." Pyrrha explained before grimacing. "Something tells me that played a part in my counter-part's fall. During initiation, I was granted power and skill that broke my limits and showed me that I had only scratched the surface of my potential but…"

"…You missed out on the fun part of improving, the actual grind, and now you're even stronger than you were before and the gap between you and our peers is astronomical." Jaune finished knowingly making her nod.

"Our training sessions together have been a godsend. Never before have I trained so hard, to the point I can feel my body breaking from my efforts. It feels rewarding, to slowly but surely surpass my limits even now…but that's not enough. I don't know how to explain it. It's as you said, an itch, but I can't scratch it." Pyrrha said as he clenched her fists, only looking back towards Jaune when she noticed the Knight moved in front of her.

"That's where you're wrong Pyrrha, you know exactly what you want and how to explain it. You just refuse to do so." Jaune said as though he could read her inner most desires. "Combat-wise, you rival the rest of us Knights. However, you're still a young woman, seventeen, that inexperience in life is currently the chink in your armor and we need you to be stronger, not as a huntress, but as a person. So, we'll start now, tell me what you want." Jaune said and Pyrrha shuddered as she realized that it wasn't a suggestion.

It was an order.

"Are…are you pulling rank on me?" Pyrrha couldn't help but ask, her eyes wide as Jaune narrowed his.

"I am. You're stubborn in your own way, you'll pretend you're fine until your dying breath not wanting to be a burden. What you need to understand, however, is that you can never burden us with your problems. You're our teammate, our friend, pretty much family. So, spill, Knight, what do you want?" Jaune said one more time as Pyrrha grimaced a bit, biting her lip before she finally took a deep breath and matched his hard stare with one of her own.

"I want a fight." Pyrrha began making him nod, encouraging her to continue. "Not just any fight, I want a fight that will push me to my limit. One that can exhaust me physically, emotionally, and mentally. I want the thrill of being able to climb myself back up from the brink of death. A full-fledged battle that starts as a skilled display between equals that eventually degrades into a desperate brawl." Pyrrha spoke, her words coming out faster and faster while her voice wavered as she found herself coming closer to truth, to what she truly wanted.

"Keep going, you're almost there." Jaune encouraged her as her eyes glistened a bit.

"I want to lose." Pyrrha finally said as she shut her eyes. "I want to know how it feels to break so that can rebuild myself into something stronger. I'm just so _tired_ of being the _Invincible_ girl." Pyrrha said and Jaune stood silently as he watched an angered expression appear on Pyrrha's face for the first time. "I'm so sick of it, Jaune! Everyone is either too weak or seasoned adults that can only provide me with one-sided battles. I want an _actual_ fight! One that I can enter and can honestly say that I have no idea who is going to win before-hand. Is that really too much to ask for!?"

"No." Jaune said honestly. "If you spoke up sooner, we'd be able to scratch that itch. Glynda is currently too strong for you. Nora would have been perfect but she's focusing on Yang. Then there's Ren, he doesn't do the type of fights you're describing. He goes in for the kill then leaves." Jaune said before sighing. "There's me but with this thing with Ruby now…" Jaune trailed off as she bowed her head. "...well this month at least is out of the question. What are you doing three weeks from now?" Jaune asked making Pyrrha look up at him in surprise.

"What?" Pyrrha asked breathlessly making Jaune smirk.

"Three weeks from now, we'll have a long weekend, right? We'll catch an air-ship to somewhere remote and free of Grimm and have at it. Just us and our weapons, an all-out battle." Jaune promised with a grin. "I'll do my best to put you in the dirt. I'm more experienced, but this body is limiting my strength at the moment. On the other hand, you're less experienced but you're far more comfortable in your body. Should make for an interesting match. That is, if you're willing to fight me?"

"Yes!" Pyrrha blurted out before covering her in embarrassment. Clearing her throat while Jaune looked at her in amusement, Pyrrha collected herself. "I mean, that sounds wonderful."

"Thought you'd like that, that said what brought you up here?" Jaune asked curiously. " _Before_ we'd only come up here to train or if something was bothering us and we needed some time to think. So, what's up?"

"We…were really close, weren't we?" Pyrrha said, though it sounded more like a statement rather than a question. Jaune just gave her nod in response. "It's Weiss, I've been trying to get her started on training but she has not agreed to a single session yet."

"Wait what? I thought she took you up on your offer?" Jaune said with a frown, surprised as Weiss didn't seem to be the type to avoid bettering herself.

"She did, problem is that she is so focused on her studies and getting A's rather than her training. Even when she finishes her school work she is too busy studying to actually train. There's nothing wrong with getting good grades but as a huntress she needs to check her priorities." Pyrrha said as she rubbed the bridge of her nose.

"Well, Weiss is incredibly prideful." Jaune began as he rubbed his chin in thought, trying to find a way for Pyrrha to get passed this obstacle. "She's rank six. If Ruby succeeds and moves up, that should be enough to get Weiss motivated. Yang is one thing, but I doubt Weiss wants to lose to both sisters. Don't worry, Glynda and I did well enough for Ruby to win, when she does Weiss will be more cooperative."

"I see, thank you." Pyrrha said before releasing a long sigh. "Sorry I couldn't handle this. Sometimes I wonder if I'm holding you all back."

"Pyrrha, hold this." Jaune said before pulling Crocea Mors from his waist and handing the sheathed blade to her. "What is this?"

"Your weapon?" Pyrrha answered though it sounded more like a question as she unsheathed the ancient blade and inspected it. She could see the new upgrades to the weapon, but even by looking at the blade itself she could finally see firsthand just how well-crafted the blade was. For it to withstand the tests of time and not waver once, meant who ever forged it had done it with the idea that this sword would be used for a _long_ time.

"Crocea Mors has been in my family for generations, in a way it is the embodiment of my family's legacy. From father to son it has helped us carve our way through _countless_ battles. In a way you could even say it's been an important symbol in _two_ Kingdoms." Jaune said referring to Vale and the Empire of Rose. "It is the single most important thing I own, a treasure, and in a way one of my most trusted companions."

"I see." Pyrrha whispered as she sheathed blade, holding it gently in her hands as she understood the weight of the weapon she was carrying.

"Do you want it?" Jaune asked, startling her so much that she almost dropped the sword before she looked up at him in shock.

"What!?"

"Crocea, do you want it? It's yours if you do." Jaune said and to Pyrrha's surprise she could see in his eyes that he meant it. "You seem to be having trouble understanding just how important you are–wow is this how you felt?" Jaune cut himself off as he found himself having a déjà vu moment. Shaking his head, Jaune continued. "Your counter-part is why we're here. Her sacrifice bought us the time needed to make a better future. Without the light forged from her death, the darkness would have won. I see now why the Empress gave herself up for you. Your counterpart was a great woman, but you are even better, or at least have the potential to be. The others and I have spent a lot of time together without you, but you've been in our hearts, guiding our actions, the entire time. You _are_ our equal."

"I…thank you…for putting that much faith in me." Pyrrha said before handing the blade back to Jaune, a small smile appearing on her face. "That said, I'd hate to break up a good pair. I'm seeing things a bit more clearly now."

"I mentioned earlier that you were still young, and I believe that. However, make no mistake. You are in the big leagues now. The moment you came to this school you became an adult, and the moment you joined our Inner Circle you became our equal. You'll shadow one of us for a few missions to get you accustomed to it, but soon you will be out there on your own making decisions that could topple an empire." Jaune warned her making her nod as a feeling of determination began to burn within her.

"I understand now, with so much being exposed to me at once, I got a bit restless I guess."

"Understandable. We're in the early stages of everything, even I'm feeling a bit restless. That said, we won't get another chance like this to have time to improve both ourselves and others, so make the most of it. Honestly, out of all of us, I think Nora is using this time the best." Jaune mused.

"Her hyperness aside, she really is a good Knight, isn't she?" Pyrrha asked, though it sounded more like a statement as she smiled fondly at the thought of their hyper teammate.

"Without a doubt. Nora…she's our heart, if we can count on anyone to succeed, no matter the cost, it's her." Jaune said quietly before he and Pyrrha lapsed into a comfortable silence as they stared up at the broken moon.

 **-Emerald Forest: Early the Next Morning-**

"God damn it! Will you knock it off!?" Yang snapped angrily, her eyes blazing red as she glared at Nora viciously. The ground beneath her scorched as she and Nora sat in lotus positions across from each other, her hands held gently but firmly by the smaller huntress.

"No can do." Nora said with a giggle as she rubbed Yang's palms gently with her thumbs as pain currents of pink electricity were pumped into Yang's body, making it twitch in pain as her hair began to stand on end from the voltage which only served to piss the blonde off more.

"How is you electrocuting me and ruining my hair at the crack of dawn, training!?" Yang questioned angrily as she gritted her teeth. "Do you know what I've done to people for less?"

"Yes, and that's why we're here." Nora said calmly and patiently even as her body was covered by the full force of her Semblance. The sudden one-eighty in her attitude was _almost_ enough to snap Yang from her anger.

"What do you mean?" Yang asked as she narrowed her eyes.

"I don't like to see you hurt." Nora said after a moment of thought making Yang frown. "But I'd rather hurt you than let you hurt yourself. When you use your Semblance you get tunnel vision, and the more powerful you become the smaller that tunnel gets. I'm pumping my power into you, _draining_ myself so that you can get used to the feeling of having your Semblance at this high of a level." Nora explained making Yang's eyes widen. "I want you to gain focus, so you can be as calm as I am right now no matter how much power is coursing through you." Nora said as her power suddenly flared dramatically.

However, she remained calm.

So calm, that Yang was briefly reminded of Nora's partner.

"You're the strongest in your team, you do know that, right?" Nora asked making Yang frown. "Do you know what that means?"

"What?"

 **BGM: Black Heaven Theme Extended-Maplestory OST**

"That when you're in over your heads, back against the wall, in a situation where words and plans no longer works they'll be turning towards you, not their leader." Nora said as she looked at Yang seriously, aqua eyes mixing with red. "This is the price we pay for being the strongest, and because of that we must be their rocks, the things they can use to leverage themselves in order to push forward." Nora said quietly. "Even if we get left behind."

"We? What about Pyrrha? I thought she was the strongest." Yang questioned in confusion as Nora's oddly wise words floated around in her head.

"She's the most skilled, Jaune's the smartest, and Ren…" Nora trailed off, a pained expression crossing over her face quickly. So quick, in fact, that Yang was positive that if they weren't so close that she'd have missed it. "Well, I hope you don't find out his specialty any time soon." Nora said as she smiled humorlessly. "However, pure raw strength? That's me and believe me when skill and smarts fail, all you have left is whatever power you can pull out. You need to be able to carry your team when needed, but you can't do that if you're blinded by your own power!"

"So, what do you want me to do!?" Yang snapped, her power flaring.

"Relax!" Nora said with a giggle as if it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Take a deep breath, collect your thought, widen that tunnel vision of yours so you can not only see the key to victory but have the strength to grab it for your team. Take now for example, you're so mad but did you even look at this view?"

"View?" Yang asked with a frown before looking around in confusion before gasping a she looked back at Nora. When she did, she manage to spot the sun rise behind her mentor brightening the forest around them. Its rays reflecting on a nearby river beneath the hill they were sitting on. Flowers of all types blowing gently in the breeze as a radiant smile split Nora face as she looked at Yang. "What…"

"When you're lost in your own anger, your own pain, you become blind to the world around you, the beauty within it, and the pain of others. A pain you are causing while lost in your rage." Nora said and it was only then that Yang noticed something horribly wrong. Looking down at the hands holding hers, her expression shifted into one of pure horror as she saw that Nora's gloves had been burned off, her skin burned as her aura went into Yang rather than heal her injuries.

"Nora!" Yang shouted as she tried to rip her hands away only for Nora to hold them tighter as she shook her head. "Let go! You're seriously hurt–"

"Yeah, and this pain is something I can bear. I'll take it wholeheartedly if it helps you improve." Nora said patiently as she tightened her grip and waited for Yang to stop trying to rip her hands free. "Do you understand what I'm trying to teach you?"

"I…I didn't mean to…I don't want to hurt you!" Yang said as she looked down at their hands, cursing as she couldn't even turn off her Semblance, there was simply too much power flowing through her that she couldn't control.

"I know. But until you get control, you will. Not just me, but everyone you care about. My Semblance is powerful, I've been through everything you are right now in some way. That said, your Semblance? It's even stronger than mine." Nora said making Yang look at her in surprise. "I've hurt a lot of people Yang, and I don't want you to go through what I did."

"Look, can't we try again later or take a break? It's just getting worse and I can't stop it." Yang said helplessly as she was trapped by her friend's iron grip, she shuddered as she saw the burns worsening. Her eyes glistened as she found herself feeling the weakest she ever had despite her body feeling the strongest it ever had. Nora had trapped her in her own power and there was nothing Yang could do. "Just let me go." Yang pleaded making Nora giggle as she released one of Yang's hands causing relief to begin building within the blonde.

"Boop." Nora said as she poked Yang's nose. "Never." Nora said before grabbing Yang's hand again. "You can do this Yang." Nora encouraged Yang as burning tears slid down the blonde's cheeks. "Find your center." Nora said as Yang closed her eyes tightly and took a deep breath. "Clear your mind of your pain and frustration and _believe_ in yourself. Focus…there you go deep breaths." Nora encouraged Yang as she saw the blonde's hair begin to dim as the fire died down. "Now open your eyes." Nora said as Yang followed her instruction.

 _*click*_

Yang blinked in confusion when she suddenly found herself blinded by a flash from Nora's scroll.

"I call this one, bad hair day!" Nora said with a grin as she showed the picture to a now confused Yang. Yang blinked in surprise when she saw the image, her hair was a mess and she had a look of confusion on her face. It was by far one of the worst pictures of her to ever exist.

But her eyes were lilac.

The fire was gone.

Her mind was clear.

And the anger had faded.

For all intents and purposes her Semblance was deactivated yet she still felt its power buried just beneath her skin as if biding its time, waiting for its full glory to be released at a moment's notice. Yang couldn't quite describe it, but at that moment she felt strong. Stronger than she ever had without her Semblance active.

"When you use your Semblance, your Aura is damaged each time you take a blow to keep up the power and then you use it all up immediately. It makes it look like you're unstoppable, but the thing is fighting like that burns up your Aura quickly. Your Semblance is a last resort but you use it as your go to." Nora began as she helped Yang climb to her feet. "Which is kinda stupid when you can't even control it, no offense."

"Nora, what…what is this?" Yang asked with a frown as she looked down at her body.

"Control, or at least the first step any way." Nora said with a shrug. "Remember this feeling, you've learned a hell of a good ability this morning. How to store the energy from Semblance for later. This allows your Aura to recover without your Semblance burning through it. Plus, you can carry it forward to your next battle and add even more power to it and then again to the battle after that! How cool is that?" Nora asked cheekily. "I guess I'm your first "donor"! You'll only get stronger from this point so get ready! Tomorrow I'll teach you how to bring out bits of that stored energy for other uses without activating your Semblance."

"Nora." Yang began making the huntress look at her curiously. Yang looked unsure of herself, fearful even as she tried to hold back the energy. "This power…it feels like it's going to burst out of me, like I'm going to erupt at any second! How am I supposed to keep this down?"

"The same way you did the first time silly! Just keep remembering the beauty of this world, find your happy place and stay calm. Once you master your temper, Yang, you will master yourself." Nora said brightly as she began walking away. "Just keep remembering the view you saw, let that image in your head be your rock so you can be the rock for others. Now come on, if we get back now you can go fix your hair."

"Remember the view huh?" Yang whispered quietly to herself as she glanced a Nora's back, an incredibly serious expression on the usually happy-go-lucky blonde's face. At that moment an image of Nora and her radiant smile in front of the sunrise flashed through her mind. Yang's expression softened as she followed after Nora. "I'll remember it, but I'm not sure if it's going to help me stay calm." Yang muttered to herself.

"You say something?"

"Nope." Yang said before shaking her head as if trying to clear it. "Let's get back to the dorms." Yang said as she followed after Nora.

 **-Glynda's Office: The Next Morning**

"So, what's up? New mission?" Nora asked as they gathered inside of Glynda's Office which had become their base of operations at this point. That said it was bit cramped now and the Knights were finally beginning to notice.

"Yes." Glynda said as she placed a file don her already cluttered table that was filled with numerous documents that contained information on who knew what. "I miss the old War Table." Glynda said with a sigh that Jaune mimicked.

"Agreed, no offense to your desk but it just lacks the…impact…I guess that the old table had when we walked towards it to get things done." Jaune said before he and Glynda sighed once more at the memory as the other Knights sweat-dropped while the Blondes reminisced on the loss of the old War Table as if it were an actual casualty of war. "We need to move."

"And we will, if this next mission is successful." Glynda said as Jaune picked up the folder. "I've been looking in to real-estate, I believe I might get into the Nightclub Scene."

"Junior's Place? Well, I didn't know it was up for sale." Jaune said, chuckling a bit at the image of Glynda owning a Nightclub. "No offense, that doesn't seem to be your scene."

"I'll have you know before Ozpin I was quite the rebel." Glynda said though all of the Knights, even Pyrrha, looked at her as if they couldn't believe it making the Advisor roll her eyes. "Perhaps it's time to pick up an old habit or two." Glynda mused.

"Covert Mission, eh?" Jaune said as he continued to read the details of the mission before handing it over to Ren. "This is all you, buddy." Jaune said making Nora groan.

"Aw man, boring." Nora complained making Jaune laugh.

"Sorry Nora, but we lack the man power to be doing any assault mission just yet." Jaune said making the short huntress pout.

"Which will hopefully be fixed after you deal with this mission. I don't just want the building, I want the assets. Man power, furniture, everything." Glynda stated firmly.

"So, we're taking over the whole gang?" Ren asked making her nod. "What's the deadline?"

"End of this week at the latest." Glynda answered making Pyrrha gape at her, shocked by the idea of taking over an entire criminal organization in days.

"That long?" Nora asked skeptically making Pyrrha turn to her incredulously. Seeing her expression, Nora just laughed. "Yeah, after the tenth time it kind of becomes a science at that point."

"Nora's right, we can have this done today so long as Jaune is willing to skip out on another day of training Ruby to help me," Ren said as Jaune glanced at Glynda.

"I still need to get her through some theories, no need for sparring tonight." Glynda said making Jaune nod.

"Then let's get it done, though let's make it interesting. Let's bring Pyrrha along." Jaune said making the Spartan look at him in surprise. "She needs to get a feel for all types of missions eventually, might as well start now while they're tame."

"Overthrowing a criminal organization is _tame_!?" Pyrrha questioned in disbelief.

"Pyrrha, you have no idea what's in store for you." Jaune said with a laugh.

"Wait till you have to stick landings from air-ships without parachutes." Nora said with a wink as Pyrrha realized that waiting for things to get exciting wasn't as bad as it once seemed. "Guarantee that before this semester is up you won't even recognize yourself. "I'll nevers" tend to disappear quickly around us."

"I-I see…" Pyrrha trailed off as Jaune and Ren continued to look over the file.

"So what else is new?" Nora asked Glynda.

"There's a small gathering this weekend with some of the Kingdoms politicians. There, Ironwood will first get the idea of allowing his fleet inside the Kingdom into the counselor's heads. Fortunately, Ozpin and I RSVP'd before I left his circle so I still have my ticket inside." Glynda explained.

"Whatever you do, make sure that idea sinks." Jaune warned without looking up from the file.

"That's the plan. I'll steer the idea of protecting our kingdom away from his toys and back towards the Huntsmen. Of course, I'll be using Pyrrha as the basis of my argument." Glynda said as making the three other veteran Knights nod as if that were obvious. The huntress in question, however, just wondered how the actual hell she ended up being used as an argument against the Head General of another Kingdom. "Stay sharp, Nikos, knowing James, you may end up having to test your might against his military."

"Excuse me!?"

"You'll be fine, rookie." Jaune joked as he waved off her concerns dismissively, in fact, none of the others seemed remotely bothered. "Okay so that's two major missions this week alone, anything else?"

"Well there is one thing…" Glynda said with a sigh though they noted her eyes seemed to hold a suprising amount of mischief in them. Suprising for the normally cold advisor. Typing something in her scroll, she pulled up a bank account before showing it to them.

For the first time that meeting, the other three Knights joined Pyrrha in looking shocked.

"That's…that's a lot of zeroes." Jaune said with a gulp. "Which stocks did you invest in!? My portfolio is only half of that!"

"Wait what?" Nora asked switching her attention to Jaune.

"Guys…we're in the past…" Jaune trailed off as he and Glynda looked at the other Knights as if they should have expected this. "Who the hell _wouldn't_ abuse their knowledge of the future and use it in the stock market." Jaune said slowly and when he put it like that they realized that this really should have been expected. "Put our accounts together and well…we're not as rich as the Schnees but we have a pretty penny to finance our operations. Still what the hell did you invest in?"

"Probably the same things you did. Unlike you, however, I have a job. I could start buying stocks and a lot more than you the moment I woke up in this time line. I have been _very_ busy while you three were traveling across Mistral." Glynda explained. "The reason I showed you this, however, is because I need to update you all on changes to our circle of trust."

"Oh?" Jaune asked with a frown.

"You remember Penny Polendina, correct?" Glynda asked making them wince as Pyrrha looked at them in confusion.

"Yeah…" Jaune trailed off glancing at Pyrrha who frowned.

"What?" Pyrrha asked making him wince again.

"I'll tell you tomorrow. We need to keep your head in the game for now. Anyway, what about her?" Jaune questioned.

"Her…father…is in our corner, he's the Atlesian Military's lead scientist. He's going to handle our requisitions, off the books of course. That said to gain his support I had to tell him the truth." Glynda admitted suprising them. "Unless you four have something to tell me, he's the only other person outside of this room who knows."

"No, we haven't told anyone but…that was quite the risk, Glynda. He believed you? Despite working for Ironwood?" Jaune asked making Glynda nod.

"When it comes to his daughter he's willing to listen, especially when I tell him everything that's been hidden from him at this point. In fact, because of her, you can say he's not entirely too fond of James himself. Do you know what his first words were when we finished our conversation?" Glynda asked rhetorically. "He asked 'where is Ms. Rose?'" Glynda said machined their eyes widen. "He was ready to defect then and there and if Ruby was ready, I would have aided him. The man has been through a lot. Still he's agreed to help us as much as he can. In fact, his first gift will be ready soon." Glynda explained making Jaune raise an eyebrow.

"What do you mean?"

"He's finishing the production of your Armor, one suit for each of you even yours Pyrrha. I hadn't known she'd join us, but being so close to you three, I figured she'd have to protect herself." Glynda explained.

"Armor?" Pyrrha asked as her team had gone deathly quiet at the revelation, each of them looking as though something had blown up before them.

"The war against Salem…was one filled with fairy tales and legends. Dictated by who controlled the maidens and their respective relics." Jaune began. "When most of the maidens and the relics were compromised, the Empress taught us to believe in ourselves and make our own legends…though I use the term a bit loosely."

"Weapons of mass destruction, born from technology and the desperation of mankind." Ren spoke up. "So powerful that we couldn't dare use them in the final battle without hurting our own populace. There were four, each varying in their use given to the three of us and Glynda. They could only be used with their respective pass code and suit of armor. This is no small feat, Glynda, that technology hasn't even been created yet. It took years for our best scientists to make them."

"He's a brilliant man, Ren, far ahead of his time. Without him James' military would be nothing."

"And now he works with us." Jaune said as he rubbed his chin in thought. "Forget the money, he is currently our biggest asset."

"Agreed. I am not a scientist, I knew little about the science behind our weapons and armor but it was enough for him to work with and create working prototypes in his private lab. If Atlas' borders close again this time around, we must make sure the doctor and Penny escape."

"I understand, even if we have to raid Atlas ourselves, we must make sure he makes it to us. Which is also why we need to hurry and expand our base of operations." Jaune said before clapping his hands. "Knights, dismissed, head off to class. Pyrrha, put Weiss on hold." Jaune said before giving her a wink. "We're going out tonight." Jaune said making Pyrrha blink owlishly.

She wasn't sure why, but she was positive her counter-part would have shot her dead that very moment if she could.

 **-That Afternoon** : **RWBY Dorm-**

 _ ***Snap!***_

 _ ***FLASH!***_

"Oh God damn it!" Yang snapped as she dropped her destroyed pencil on was now becoming a rather large pile of shattered writing utensils as her body found itself burning bright as her eyes burned red. Seemingly catching herself, Yang grit her teeth before taking deep breaths and allowing her Semblance to deactivate. "This paper is going to take forever." Yang complained with a groan as she fished out another pencil.

"Uh...Yang…is everything fine with you?" Blake asked with concern after watching her partner fail to grasp a pencil for like the thirtieth time that day.

"Who me? Never been better!" Yang chirped with a forced smile as she tried to gain enough control over her newfound strength to not shatter what was quickly becoming the last of her pencils. So far, the only word she had written down was "The".

"I personally prefer my assignments to be hand written but you know you can just type it up on your scroll, right?" Weiss said with a frown, assuming Yang had just gotten unlucky and purchased a pack of cheap pencils rather than suspect it was a surge in the brawler's strength that should be blamed.

"I'll…take my chances." Yang said after a moment. Scrolls were expensive, she'd be damned if she broke that next. If anything, she hoped to get a handle on her strength that nights or who knew how many texts and updates from her friends she'd miss. Deciding to take a break she looked over at her oddly quiet sister who was nose-deep in something that apparently wasn't a comic book or weapon catalogue for once. It was almost comical in a way because right at that moment she looked like Blake who was currently nose deep in her own book. "Advanced Aura Training? Was that on our booklist for this semester, sis?"

"No." Weiss answered for her partner, already having memorized every part of every syllabus they had been given. "I'm impressed, clearly Ruby is taking her studies seriously by going outside of the curriculum. In my opinion, such behavior should be encouraged."

"Yeah, whatever nerds." Yang joked making Weiss roll her eyes in annoyance. "We're Huntresses, what's a book going to teach us that our fists can't?"

"Maybe why fighting with our fists against Grimm is a bad idea in the first place?" Weiss asked sarcastically. "Maybe if you read more you'd be able to move pass Rank five."

"Agreed." Blake said not even bothering to look up at them. She felt a need to defend the act of reading, even if it did put her on the same side as a Schnee.

"Oh, I don't wanna hear that from six and seven. Maybe if you put the books down and trained a bit my back wouldn't be hurting from carrying you all." Yang said though clearly her heart wasn't in it as both Weiss and Blake scoffed. "Didn't Pyrrha want to train with you Weiss? Maybe you should take her up on the offer so I can have a chance to rest for once."

"I whole-heartedly plan to, when time permits." Weiss said before gesturing towards her books. "However, our grades take priority. Perhaps when the work load lessens she and I can spar in our free time."

"What good are grades going to be in a fight?" Yang asked Weiss with a raised eyebrow. "I think you need to recheck your priorities Weiss cream."

 _ ***Bang!***_

"Shutupshutupshutup!" Ruby finally exclaimed after slamming her book closed, she had barely noticeable bags under her eyes as she glared at them. Since starting her extra training she had yet to figure out a good sleep schedule while trying not to fall behind in her classes.

Safe to say she was a bit on edge.

"Yang if you're going to take a break, do something quiet if the rest of us our studying! Weiss, she's trolling you, stop taking the bait! In fact, you're in our room too much, go spar, make friends, take a break, _something."_ Ruby said as she jumped off of her bed before spinning around a pointing a finger Blake, or more accurately her book.

 _Ninjas of Love_

"And Blake, that's filth! _Filth!"_ Ruby snapped, emphasizing the fact that she knew what the book was and her apparent opinion on it which made Blake look at her surprise as she realized she must have left it out at some point. "I'm borrowing the sequel when I return." Ruby added, somehow managing to keep up her anger which just made Blake nod slowly, still shocked by Ruby's outburst as was the rest of their team.

"Uh…you okay, sis?"

"I'm going for a walk, try to finish this reading, go calibrate my weapon and somehow finish my work when I get back." Ruby explained as she made her way to the door with Crescent Rose. Of course she didn't need to calibrate her baby, it was perfect, but she needed a believable excuse to keep meeting up with Glynda.

"But…when are you going to sleep?" Yang asked and this seemed to push Ruby to the tipping point as she threw her hands up in the air before gripping her hair as she glared at Yang with bloodshot eyes.

"I don't know, Yang! I. Don't. Know!" Ruby exclaimed, almost hysterically as she wondered if she was finally going to succumb to a nervous breakdown. However, before anything else could be said a loud squeal coming from the dorm of their sister team rung out through the halls of the dormitory. Blinking owlishly, they decided to stop what they were doing to go check up on JNPR. When they stepped out into the halls, they found a gushing Nora standing in the hall taking pictures of something inside her dorm with her scroll.

"Really Nora?"

"What? Jauney, you look two amazing! Especially the make-up you did for Pyrrha. How can I _not_ take pictures!?" Nora asked incredulously making Jaune chuckled as he stepped out with Pyrrha.

 **BGM: Sexyback-Justin Timberlake**

"Whatever you say, mom." Jaune joked and when RWBY saw him they felt their jaws drop when they saw him. For once he decided to hit his messy blond hair with a brush and comb which made him look more like his future appearance. He fixed the cuffs of his jacket as he stood in a clean, black three-piece suit with a matching shirt, tie, and pair of shoes. Jaune smirked at Nora as he pushed up his sunglasses. "Told you when we were on the road that buying formal wear wouldn't be a waste of resources."

"You were right as always." Nora said with a nod. "Though I have to buy another dress, it's perfect for Pyrrha, no way in hell I can break up a pair like that." Nora said as she gestured towards Pyrrha whom team RWBY could barely recognize. Gone was her ever present circlet and signature pony-tail. Instead, she let her long red hair hang freely as she found herself wearing a short expensive looking black dress with matching heels. Her face was as red as her hair as she fidgeted with the bottom of her dress, feeling that is was too snug in certain areas for comfort.

"It's…it's a bit short, isn't it?"

"You fight in a mini-skirt." Jaune pointed out making Pyrrha frown a bit.

"Battle-skirt." Pyrrha corrected a bit defensively and Nora, Ruby, and Weiss all had the sudden urge to give the Spartan a high five.

"Right…" Jaune trailed off deciding to just go with it.

 **BGM: END**

"So, what's up guys?" Yang asked getting their attention as she smiled at JNP, Jaune getting the urge to hide as Yang blatantly eyes him like a piece of meat along with Weiss, though she attempted to hide it, and…

…Ruby?

Well that was something he wasn't expecting.

"Taking Pyrrha out for a night on the town, lady killer? Can't say I'm surprised but it's not even the middle of the week yet." Yang said before giving them both a once over. "Still you both look nice."

"Thank you." Pyrrha said politely as Jaune grinned.

"We're going out but probably not in the way you're thinking. Pyrrha's agent was in town and wanted to meet her and her new partner, make sure I don't make her look bad and all that." Jaune lied flawlessly on the spot, pointedly ignoring how Weiss seemed to perk up at the news that he and Pyrrha were not a couple.

He really couldn't wait until Neptune showed up.

"Well partner let's go, we finish early we can probably find something fun to do before we head back. When you dress like this you gotta make the most of it!"

"You're right but try not to miss the last airship back." Yang said before looking at them suggestively.  
"Don't do anything I wouldn't do…or would do…there's a small gray area in there somewhere I think." Yang said making him laugh.

"I'll keep that in mind." Jaune as Pyrrha nodded at them with a bright smile before they both departed. When they were gone, Yang glanced at Ruby with an amused expression as she noticed her sister hadn't stopped looking where Jaune and Pyrrha disappeared, her face as red as her cape.

"Little flustered there, sis?" Yang asked having a small suspicion g that Ruby had begun to see her best friend in a new light. "Hot huh?"

"They were." Ruby said before covering her mouth, in her sleep deprived state she had found herself unable to avoid the bait Yang laid before her. Seeing the growing grin on Yang's face, Ruby disappeared in a swirl of rose petals before her sister could begin teasing her.

"Aw man, she ran away." Yang said with a pout as Blake rolled her eyes before making her way back into her dorm along with a slightly dazed Weiss.

"I don't know how she deals with you."

"Come on Blake, what's wrong with a little teasing between sisters?" Yang questioned, her smile never faltering before she turned to face an amused looking Nora. "Hey, glad I ran into you, mind helping me out a bit? We got a paper due tomorrow and I'm having trouble holding on to…well…anything." Yang said sheepishly as understanding filled Nora's eyes.

"No problem! I'll show you some ways to relax that Ren taught me, should help you get used to your new strength!" Nora chirped making Yang nod in appreciation as she followed Nora into her dorm. To her credit, however, it only took her until she stepped into to the room for her to realize something that set her big sister alarms blaring.

" _Wait…did Ruby say_ _ **they**_ _?"_ Yang wondered blinking owlishly for a moment before shaking her head to clear it. _"Eh, doesn't matter right now I'll cross that bridge when I get there. First thing I need to worry about is this damn power."_ Yang thought resolutely as she closed the door behind her.

 **-Vale: Junior's Nightclub-**

 **BGM: I Burn (Yellow Trailer)- RWBY OST**

Two silhouettes could be seen at the entrance of the door, one with short blond hair and another who's hair was long and red. The door opened, revealing Jaune and Pyrrha whom stepped inside the club and surveyed the area.

"Still can't believe they just let us walk in with our weapons." Pyrrha said making Jaune chuckle.

"Think that's bad? When it comes to people who actually have the required paper work to have them, we're in the minority." Jaune said before glancing towards the DJ booth, noting the pair of armed twins talking to each other next to it. "There's our targets, up for this rookie?" Jaune teased, nudging Pyrrha whom blushed and fought the urge to cover her face in embarrassment.

 _ **-Flashback: Vale: Alley: few minutes earlier-**_

 _Jaune and Pyrrha made their way into a dark alleyway across from the club. Nearly as soon as they entered, a pair of magenta eyes shone out from the darkness before Ren strode out of the shadows and nodded towards them._

" _What are we dealing with Ren?"_

" _A simple mission, there is a saferoom in the back containing a goldmine of information. From Junior to his gang to even their most important clients, there is enough blackmail material in there to make our plans go a lot smoother in the future." Ren said making Jaune frown._

" _And this Junior person just has it there in one spot?" Pyrrha asked with a frown. She didn't know much about black-market information brokering, but even she thought that sounded a bit…_

… _dumb._

" _He's a good information broker but he's arrogant. Not many are in a position to take his gang on and those who are benefit more from him working for them rather than overthrowing him." Jaune explained before frowning as he turned back to Ren. "You know I don't mind a chance to dress up, but in hindsight can't you do this yourself?"_

" _Normally yes, but we did this on the spur of the moment I can steal the information and put it on my scroll without a problem. That said it's a complex vault separating me from the information and I don't currently have the tools needed to break inside." Ren admitted._

" _So, we need to steal keys into the back room, who has them?" Jaune asked as Ren typed something into his scroll before showing them the profiles of Junior, Melanie, and Militia._

" _Junior would normally be the prime target but thanks to a certain brawler we both know, they upped security a lot and he's behind the bar all night with his subordinates keeping a constant eye on him. Unfortunately, not even I can steal the key from him without causing a scene."_

" _A scene we don't need." Jaune muttered. "As long as there are civilians with scrolls in that club we risk going viral if we start a fight. Hell, even now you can still find Yang's last visit here online if you look hard enough."_

" _Exactly, that leaves the Malachite twins. They work directly under Junior but because they can actually fight, they don't have guards of their own." Ren said making Jaune look at him skeptically._

" _Again, not to be rude, but you can definitely handle this. I've seen you topple a government once without shedding a drop of blood." Jaune pointed out making Ren chuckle a bit._

" _Let me explain slowly so that maybe you can understand." Ren mused. "These two each have keys." Ren said slowly, making Jaune roll his eyes before nodding._

" _I get that–"_

"– _They don't have pockets." Ren interrupted, making Jaune pause. For a moment, both he and Pyrrha just stared at Ren as the dots connected._

" _Oh."_

" _I am good, but this part of the job you've always have been better at." Ren said, making Jaune narrow his eyes._

" _You're afraid of Nora."_

" _So, if anyone can do it, you have my full faith, Captain." Ren said as he blatantly ignored Jaune. "Besides, you have two chances. Surely you can charm one of them enough to get a key."_

" _I've never tried to charm twins, at the same time, in the same place, and same evening. Exactly how does this not end up with me starting a club fight again?" Jaune asked skeptically only to look at Ren in confusion with the ninja suddenly shook his head._

" _When I said you have two chances, I meant both of you." Ren said as he gestured towards Pyrrha whom blinked slowly as if trying to process what he just said._

" _Wait…"_

" _Seriously? Which one?" Jaune asked, sounding genuinely curious as both of them ignored Pyrrha._

" _Militia."_

" _The red one, right? Well that's fortunate, you got her favorite color down." Jaune teased as Pyrrha looked visibly distraught at the sudden change in the mission._

 **-Flashback: End-**

"You're bullies, all of you." Pyrrha muttered, making Jaune chuckle as they descended the steps.

"You're the new guy, we're equals but until we expand, you're going to get all of the shit. It's tradition I'm afraid, the hazing period." Jaune said unapologetically. "Honestly? I'm just wanna see how far we can go before you snap, something tells me that'll be a healthy change for little Miss Repressed."

"I'm not that bad."

"You're the personification of inhibitions. We have a betting pool on what's going to happen when you snap. I bet on you letting loose for once, everyone else voted that you'll have a nervous break-down and potentially maim some poor bastard." Jaune revealed and the sad thing was that at this point Pyrrha truly did believe him. That was just the type of crap her companions would pull. "Personally, I only believe there is a fifty percent chance that happens."

"Your faith in me is moving." Pyrrha said dryly her right twitching a bit as she felt a migraine coming.

"Don't be like that, look I'm going to be your wingman tonight." Jaune said with a wink as he grabbed her hand and drug her to the dance floor. Sighing despondently, Pyrrha succumbed to her fate and followed him to begin her first legitimate mission.

Unknown to either of them, however, this would be the mission that earned Jaune a few hundred lien in the betting pool.

 **BGM: END**

 **To be continued…**

 **Oh man…just what kind of crap are these two going to get in to?**

 **I won't be responding to the reviews from the AN because that would add god knows how many pages to this chapter. So instead I'll be replying to the previous actual chapter. That said your votes have ALL been read and put into consideration**

 **Reviews:**

 **Spangle Jenks: Thanks for the review and glad you like it…also are my eyes playing tricks on me or did you review two different times on the same chapter? Is that possible now or am I going crazy? O.o Nothing wrong with that but I'm just wondering if something glitched out somewhere.**

 **Xyz: Guest reviews don't appear immediately I have to approve them. Normally I do so quickly, but I got sidetracked and completely forgot to this time. It's not on your end don't worry. If you check now you'll see all 3 of your reviews.**

 **Believe me when Weiss and Blake start training with their "mentors" like Yang and Ruby, their Semblances will evolve in some very interesting ways don't worry about that. Especially Blake's which is part of the reason she will be the last to start her mentoring.**

 **Things are calm and easy now, especially since no one is expecting them but after this current mission, expect future events to begin evolving to the point large threats begin to appear sooner than normal in the story and force the Knights to fight much harder for their victories.**

 **I guess it's safe to say the butterfly effects will reach their first real peak is during the Vytal festival so look forward to that. For now, however, they'll be focusing on more day to day operations. Currently timeline wise I wanna say we're about 3-4 chapters away from the end of volume 1 which I'll mark the end of with a long-awaited fight. Hope my reply covered everything if not let me know, I'll catch in the replies to next chapter.**

 **Bankerrtx01: True, I've decided to look into some more BGMs for more casual moments like the ones in this chapter with Jaune and Pyrrha's roof convo for example. TY for the review!**

 **Xample: It'll be back, one day, just hold your hands up and give it your energy.**

 **ZeroSanity: Thanks for the review. I won't lie I gotta do a massive overhaul on the LIAG series because Bakudo X and the fairy tail one are not getting updated, reason why is because the source material made me lose all passion for both series. Note this is only my opinion.**

 **MIK23LIK: Thanks for the review, most definitely the gray area will be explored. The Empire of Rose is a completey morally gray organization in this time line. It simply can't exist without the current governments falling, and sometimes Salem's group won't be the one's responsible for a collapse. Jaune said it best, he's a hero but a change in perspective can quickly and easily paint him to be a villain. This current mission, is another example of how they are going to be doing some questionable acts for their Empire to survive.**

 **CFVY will have a minor role for the foreseeable future.**

 **Aidis: Haha thanks for reading!**

 **Dopplerdee: Get out of my head because that's definitely going to happen, you've read too much of my stuff lol. Yeah trust me, Ruby by the end of Volume 2 in this timeline will ECLIPSE her canon counterpart at the same time. She's just trying to keep up with her friends, not knowing they are either freaks of nature or being trained by monsters (in strength). The "common" folk won't be much of a threat.**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Yeah, I have some plans for the sisters that'll give them a much-needed power boost.**

 **Ruby-Rose117: Glad you like it! Thanks for the review!**

 **Mr. Oops: Don't worry about Jaune's grief, he's in an interesting position it's not so much that's he's grieving but rather he has a legitimate psychological issue resulting from the things he's seen and done. However, he still does what's needed of him and leads just as effectively.**

 **Like it's not just Ruby, it's Pyrrha, his family, many of his own men, hundreds of people he's cut down. All of this and he keeps moving on because like you said he IS the captain. He's a symbol but he's also just a man and it's finding a healthy balance between these two identities that make up his struggle for this series.**

 **As you probably guessed through this chapter, Pyrrha is a character whose growth will be focused on. She's a great huntress, but there are many flaws as a person she has that she needs to come to terms with. This mission will be the first step into growing into the position she was given by the Empress. As for the others, ultimately this is about RWBYs growth. The knights will be doing missions, etc, but besides Pyrrha they pretty much finished their character arcs chapter 1. That isn't to say they're done growing in a way, but nowhere near as much as characters like Ruby or Pyrrha will.**

 **Ozpin is an interesting character because even now we don't know much about him. He learns from his mistakes, that's true, but the issue regarding him is exactly how fast does it take for him to learn? The reason why this Dynamic between him and Glynda works so well is because now they both fill the same role in their respective fashions, but the difference is that Glynda has seen his plans fail while her's ultimately succeeded in a sense. She was his right hand, so she'll be able to avoid most of what he can do.**

 **That said he might have move or two he can pull that she won't be prepared for and it's how she deals with them that remains to be seen. Overall thanks for the review! Good to have a detailed constructive one every now and then!**

 **P.S. don't worry I actually like Ozpin, this won't become a "Dumbledore bashing fic" lol**

 **Lloyd RPGfan: Your vote as been noted! Still on the fence but I've begun to plant seeds for various different routes that I can take when a decision has been concretely made. Thanks for the review!**

 **DanteNaru: lol glad to hear it!**

 **FateBurn: Heh…so about that…soon…part…uh…better late than, never right? Lol**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Let's just say things are going to be interesting at Beacon. All classes are important, but let's face it, Glynda's is the cornerstone of Beacon. Glad you liked it!**

 **AJ Lexie: August birthdays, best birthdays #leopride. A bit of both, let's just say this Jaune will be paying a bit more homage to the historical figure he's based off of. As for Summer, it's unfortunate that that is her name since she COULD be a maiden but she DOES have the silver eyes power. Both of these are reasons Ozpin would use her to help him. So far, the assumption is that she was used for her eyes, if she is a maiden well that's cool too. Thanks for the review! Lol, cowboy Jaune.**

 **Littlest1: Glad you like the chapter and everything! Not sure what the idea with Ruby's semblance is. I assume its speed but can be manipulated to other things with her aura. Yeah Qrow is going to be interesting to write especially when things start kicking off and a new faction is using the emblem of his precious little niece and a former teammate.**

 **Dxdragon2895: There will be a Pyrrha vs Jaune fight, but I can't promise it will be in class (collateral damage and all that. Shit gon be on some DBZ shit…well not that bad but you get the gist.) Thanks for the review!**

 **Critic-chris: Glad you like it, thanks for the review and yeah, the other teams will get amped a bit to try to keep up.**

 **Bankerrtx01: Thanks for the review! WOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOOOO**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Yeah there are going to be times where they roll the dice and make some very high-stakes gambles. Ozpin is intelligent and smart, but he is still able to make mistakes which I want to highlight to make him more grounded while keeping up the fact he is a very capable huntsmen.**


	8. A Champion's First Mission (Part 2)

**Disclaimer: Don't own SHIIIIIEEEEEEEEEETTTTTTTTT**

 **Rebuff: Yo wtf is up with this BGM list? Shit went 0-100 real quick.**

 **I know right? Even I'm admittedly a bit surprised and I wrote it.**

 **Rebuff: Welp, get back to work!**

 **I don't wanna! So…so many vampires…so much sparkles!**

 **Rebuff: Back to work I say!**

 **(T_T)**

 **Will: *takes a look at Rebuke* I'm sorry for this Lord Rebuke but you must understand, you brought this upon yourself. *turns into chibi form, jumps into a Nevermore's maw, and flies away***

 **Don't abandon me fucker!**

 **BETAED BY: The Undying Will**

 **Also, yeah…see I managed to get something out this month…see so what if it's literally the last day…*sweats nervously* I'll shut up now.**

 **Featured BGMs:**

 _ **Cygnus Garden- Maple Story OST**_

 _ **I Burn (Yellow Trailer)- RWBY OST**_

 _ **Classic Man-Jidenna**_

 _ **Love/Hate Thing-Wale**_

 _ **Body Language (Feat. Usher)-Tinashe**_

 _ **3-Way (Instrumental)- Lonely Island**_

 _ **Please Excuse My Hands-Plies**_

 _ **Bump and Grind-R. Kelly**_

 _ **Let's get it on-Marvin-Gaye**_

 _ **Real Sisters (Instrumental)-Future**_

 _ **I Just Had Sex- Lonely Island**_

 _ **Let Me Explain-Bryson Tiller**_

 _ **Exchange- Bryson Tiller**_

 **Chapter 8: A Champion's First Mission (Part 2)**

 **(Alternate Title: Real Sisters (AN: It's an inside joke about a song though it's not hard to figure out))**

 **-Beacon-**

 **BGM: Cygnus Garden- Maple Story OST**

Ruby stood silently in a dark hallway that was illuminated by both the fractured moon and the beautiful emerald glow of the tower in the distance. The cup of warm milk in her hand had long since gone cold as the emerald light reflected clearly in her silver eyes.

"Ms. Rose?" A voice called out, snapping her back to reality as she turned to face the form of a frowning Goodwitch. "Are you alright? You're running late for our lessons."

" _Glynda…"_ Ruby said quietly, her tone not carrying its usual level of happiness. Glynda's frown grew as Ruby suddenly shook her quickly, as if coming out of daydream. "Oh professor! Oh no, am I late!?" Ruby asked fearfully as she realized she had gotten side-tracked. Raising her hand to stop Ruby from beginning one of her nervous rants, Glynda silently strode forward and stopped next to Ruby. Staring out of the large window, Glynda folded her hands behind her back before addressing her young protégé.

"A few minutes won't hurt you, I suppose." Glynda mused shocking Ruby with the lax attitude of the infamously strict professor. "Tell me. Do you often look at the tower?"

"I...sometimes…" Ruby began nervously before taking a sip of her milk, wincing a bit at its lukewarm temperature.

How long had she been day dreaming for it to cool down that much?

"I walked past here once when we first moved in." Ruby began as she looked back at the Tower. "It caught my eye, and I don't know it just...stuck with me I guess? I'd like to say I come here to think, but that's a lie. My mind just goes blank when I stare at it for too long." Ruby said chuckling sheepishly. "weird right? My mind goes blank but my heart…"

"Your heart?"

"…It hurts?" Ruby said though it sounded more like a question. Glynda said nothing and simply waited for Ruby to elaborate. "It hurts but in a good way? I don't know I feel but also relieved and I don't know why."

"Well the tower is a beautiful sight, for it to stir up such strange feelings isn't uncommon."

"Is that the official answer?" Ruby joked with a smile that didn't quite reach her eyes. Glynda blinked a that uncharacteristic response from the young huntress and turned to face her, noting how tired she appeared.

She wasn't entirely sure it wasn't from a lack of sleep either, at least not all of it.

"Depends, did you tell me everything the sight of the tower does to you?" Glynda asked and Ruby remained silent. "A day will come, Ms. Rose, when you and I will have to trust each other to be completely honest whether we want to or not."

"When will you tell me everything?" Ruby finally asked. "I…I'm not sure how long I can pretend things aren't as weird as they are. I…I notice things, things that don't add up but I can't explain it here." Ruby said as she pointed to her head. "Just here." Ruby said as she pointed to her chest. "You and JNPR make me feel uneasy."

"Do we scare you?" Glynda questioned curiously and Ruby noted that the professor didn't even attempt to act as though the members of her sister team besides Jaune weren't part of this mystery she felt forming. Ruby realized that Glynda probably wanted her to catch that as well.

"The opposite, and its weird cause in a way that's even scarier."

"Hm. Interesting, though I appreciate your honesty, I must admit that I am unsure of what your goal is. If we make you so uneasy, would it not be better to not tell me the truth? Hypothetically speaking of course, this would just make us keep a closer eye on you." Glynda mused.

"I want you to. I don't know what's wrong with me, but something is off. You know it, I know it, JNPR knows it, and my Team is slowly realizing I might not all be there. I'm taking a leap of faith. I don't know if I can trust you, but I do know you have the answers." Ruby said honestly.

"I see. You are a peculiar girl Ms. Rose, if you showed this astute side of yourself more often then your partner might actually fall in line for once." Glynda said before pulling out a handkerchief. "This is how trust is built, baby steps. You took a risk tonight, and in a way, this is an important part of being a leader- knowing when and when not to take a gamble. Allow me to reward you by extending and olive branch of my own." Glynda said as Ruby took to piece of cloth in confusion. "Doubt me all you want, but do not take it out on JNPR. They may be in the "know" but believe me, you and your well being come before any plans I may have regarding you. They are my students, but they are your friends first." Glynda stated and Ruby frowned when she noted that Glynda seemed completely serious.

This was one thing that bothered her about Glynda. The woman would gladly give you information, but when she did it was as if it didn't matter anymore, like whether you knew her plans or not, in the end she would get her way regardless. At that moment, Ruby never felt more like a huntress-in-training. The woman before her has been her goal for years, yet despite being mere inches away from her, she felt miles away.

"Will I ever be a good huntress?"

That was a slip of the tongue.

"Baby-steps." Glynda answered regardless before turning away from Ruby. "Which, of course, include getting to practice on time." Glynda said knowingly making Ruby wince before the blonde walked away, wordlessly commanding Ruby to follow. Ruby looked down at the cloth once more in confusion, wondering why Glynda had given it to her only to widen her eyes when she felt something fall from her face.

She had been crying.

And she had no idea how long she had been but judging by the look on Glynda's face when she first began their conversation, she figured she had begun long before the professor had appeared. Ruby frowned and stole one glance at the tower before following her teacher, wiping her eyes as she did so.

" _What's wrong with me?"_ Ruby wondered with a frown which was, unknown to her, mirrored on Glynda's face.

" _Empress Rose…your thorns are beginning to show."_ Glynda thought to herself. _"You're really going through with_ _ **that**_ _plan, then."_

Things were going to truly get interesting.

Of that, Glynda was certain.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Junior's Place-**

 **BGM: I Burn (Yellow Trailer)- RWBY OST**

"Hey, I'll take two of the strongest thing you've got." Jaune told Junior as he and Pyrrha sat at the bar.

"Aren't you two a bit young?" Junior asked though his voice held a bit of hesitance as he recalled the last time he had to deal with a minor in his club.

"Are we?" Jaune asked curiously making Junior blink owlishly before the blonde sighed. "Look, we all saw what happened online the last time a minor ended up in here." Jaune said making Junior tense before the blond gestured towards his partner. "I wonder if you would fare better against us than her. What do you think, _Pyrrha?"_ Jaune asked curiously making Junior pale as he finally recognized the red-head.

He and his men were already destroyed once by a nobody.

He shuddered to think about what the Champion could do, especially if she had her friend backing her up.

"Relax, we don't want trouble. Believe it or not we just want some drinks and a good time." Jaune said reassuringly making the tense man relax a little.

"Fine, but only because we've just got this place cleaned up. Don't cause any trouble." Junior said gruffly before he went to make the drinks. Quickly preparing them, he practically slammed the glasses on the counter before moving to serve other patrons as far away as he could possibly get from them while behind the counter.

"Didn't expect my name to have such a reaction."

"Neither did I." Jaune said honestly as he sat down next her and despite herself she couldn't help but chuckle as he grabbed his glass. "But it worked." Jaune said as he gave her wink. "So, drink up, we have a long night in front of us." Jaune said before he downed the drink quickly. "What's wrong?" Jaune asked he noticed Pyrrha not drinking.

"Err, it's nothing–" Pyrrha stopped when she saw the half-lidded stare he was giving her. "I'm not good with alcohol." Pyrrha admitted, her face flushing. Keeping her voice low enough to not be overheard by Junior or his men but loud enough for Jaune, she explained. "My agent made me promise not to drink after a post-tournament party me and a few of my teammates had. I can't remember what happened, but they all couldn't look me in the eyes again so I assume I made a spectacle of myself."

"Oh, now I've got to see this." Jaune said looking at her in amusement as her blush darkened.

"No, this would be bad for the mission. I must keep a calm head and–" Pyrrha stopped talking and narrowed her eyes when Jaune suddenly burst out laughing. "What?"

"Sorry, sorry, it's just if you knew how many times we did missions while completely drunk off of our asses…" Jaune trailed off shaking his head fondly a couple of missions flashing through his mind. "One time, Ru– _Rose_ brought many of our people to the throne room to give them a speech. She brought them in because the previous night we drank our weight in booze and she couldn't be trusted to stand up outside." Jaune explained as Pyrrha looked at him in surprise. "She gave an entire public address, sitting on her throne trying not to pass out. Glynda still won't let me hear the end of that."

"I see…still…it wouldn't do us any good."

"Oh, just shut up and drink the damn drink." Jaune said with an eye-roll. "Part of picking up girls at a club of all things is buying them a drink or being a bought a drink in your case. If you think you can somehow go the whole night without drinking and not raise suspicions, you're crazy." Jaune said making her pale. "Besides, sober you overthinks things far too much. Relax and let loose." Jaune ordered.

And he couldn't believe he actually had to order someone to have fun.

He would have laughed if someone told him he'd ever have to give someone such an order after he ran his soldiers through the dirt for months at a time.

"Worst case scenario you give me something to talk to Melanie about if you really make a scene." Jaune joked. "Look I'm your wingman tonight." Jaune teased his partner whom looked down quietly at her beverage as he stood. "I'm going to talk them up, you drink your medicine and loosen up a bit for once."

"Am...am I really _that_ bad." Pyrrha sked quietly making Jaune pause.

Truth be told she wasn't.

She was one of the kindest and strongest people he knew, and knew how to have fun in the vanilla sense.

That said she could be socially awkward to a fault.

No, more accurately, it was as if she were afraid.

Afraid of herself.

Her wants.

Her desires.

Her deepest thoughts.

She refused to acknowledge them to not just others but herself.

She was repressed, repressed to the point that even their late-Empress' blessing was being stopped from truly sinking in to the woman before him.

If Pyrrha had truly accepted the blessing this wouldn't be an issue right now.

Ruby saw the real you, and every Knight saw what she saw and became what she saw during their ascension.

If you saw something that scared you, however, it took a lot longer to sink in.

" _Like with Glynda."_ Jaune thought to himself. He wasn't sure how long he had ended up analyzing Pyrrha but apparently it was long enough for her to give him a concerned frown.

"Is your silence my answer?" Pyrrha asked quietly. She loved her partner, don't get her wrong, but she was afraid of him at times as well. Not of any ill-intentions or hidden power he might have, but rather it was the way he could stare at you…the real you…as if no matter how many defenses you put in place to hide who you really were mattered.

"When she saw you, was she afraid?" Jaune asked suddenly, confusing her yet despite the seemingly randomness of the statement, she knew exactly what he meant. Quietly, she reflected on the moment she became a Knight. The traumatic day when she– no– that _monster_ that wore her face forced her body to kill the Empress.

But if she was such a monster, why did the Empress give her that look?

That look of happiness?

Of content?

"She smiled." Pyrrha said eventually. "She wasn't afraid."

"And neither should you be." And with that Jaune simply left, to continue on with his task. Not once did he glance back at Pyrrha, confident that she could finally stop fighting herself. As Pyrrha looked back at her beverage, Jaune's words ringing in her head, she gripped her glass tighter, her eyes flashing silver for the briefest of moments.

"Fuck it." Pyrrha finally said before downing the glass, shuddering as the burning liquid ran down her throat. She felt a shift somewhere deep inside herself, deep inside her very cognition that made it seem as though for once everything was in place. Her eyes glistened a bit as she forced back her tears, hoping beyond hope that her team– her _partner–_ would still want to be by her side when they saw the real her which she tried her best to keep locked away.

" _Locked away until your dying breath at least once, apparently. Lot of good that did you."_ Pyrrha thought with a scowl before ordering another drink, looking far more relaxed than when she originally walked in. _"You're on borrowed time, Nikos, time to live like it."_

["Was that the right thing, Jaune? It was your idea for her to come to terms with herself on her own like Glynda."] Ren asked, his voice coming from Jaune's earpiece using a secured channel he put in place solely for the two of them.

"We don't have time for that. Besides, I see that I was wrong, she gave me the push I needed to be who I am. Who am I to not return the favor?" Jaune asked quietly.

["I see. Well ignore me. I'll leave it to you, Captain."] Ren said before his voice went silent.

 **-With the Malachite Twins-**

"Like, oh my God, Militia. You are _not_ doing this to us again." Melanie all but growled out at her twin whom averted her eyes before crossing her arms with a huff.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Oh, then let me refresh your memories. Tonight, is our night off, which you can't tell because once again we're both stuck off to the side because _someone_ is too socially awkward to try to get laid." Melanie said as she narrowed her eyes.

"I just don't know anyone…"

" _That's the whole point of introducing yourself!"_ Melanie hissed before jabbing a finger into Militia's chest. "You are _so_ not clam-jamming me again."

"Clam ja–oh! Ew!" Militia said her face twisting up a bit before she pouted with a sigh. "I just haven't seen anyone I like–" Militia was cut off by a harsh laugh from Melanie.

"That's so bullshit and you know it, or need I remind you that the girl you have been fan-girling over for years is _sitting at the bar."_ Melanie stressed making Militia bite her lip. "I know you know because you keep looking over there, you're just too chicken shit to do something." Melanie said before softening her expression. "I love you, but I can't be by your side for _everything._ We're young sis, you need to go out and have fun, maybe have a crazy one night stand or two…or three… _"_

"Look, I know alright, sorry I'm such a drag." Militia muttered with an eye-roll, stopping her sister before she could begin reminiscing on her various escapades. "Perhaps you have a point but look she came with a date. Speaking of which, who the fuck is that guy? A model?" Militia questioned before sighing. "Can't exactly steal her attention from all of that." Militia said making Melanie frown. As much as she hated to admit, her sister had a point.

Which sucked because they had the same face.

But that blond stranger the Mistral Champion came in with was, for lack of a better word, _fine._

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Classic Man-Jidenna**

"Excuse me ladies." A voice interrupted Melanie before she could respond. In unison, the twins blinked before turning to find a smiling Jaune standing behind them with a hand in his pocket. Melanie's eyes widened while Militia couldn't help but level him with a glare. Chuckling, Jaune wasn't deterred as he raised a hand as if to placate the red twin. "Relax, I come bearing good news." Jaune said as he pushed his sunglasses up to his forehead and gave the twins a wink. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation, I think I can solve all of our problems."

"Excuse me?" Melanie asked, crossing her arms as she raised eye-brow before giving Jaune a once-over, smirking a bit as she did so.

"Yes, you see I'm here on a mission." Jaune said making them tense before he chuckled. "It's a dangerous one called wingman duty."

"Is that right?" Melanie asked looking a bit amused.

"Yes, but first let me introduce myself. Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off the tongue. Ladies love it."

"Oh? Do they, Mr. Arc?" Melanie questioned a bit stepping forward a bit into his personal space.

"Oh yes, and you will too, in the morning at least." Jaune said making her eyes widen before her smirk grew.

"Well you've got my attention. Melanie Malachite." Melanie introduced herself as she extended her hand which he accepted. "Now, what of your date?"

"My _friend_ is who I am over here for. She's a bit shy I'm afraid, but she noticed your sister the moment she walked in. I on the other hand was too captivated by you to notice…no offense." Jaune added as he turned to Militia. Militia, however, was too shocked by the information to even care. "I say the four of us go gets some drinks, get to know each other a bit…and we can see what happens." Jaune said and Melanie was beaming now as her night seemed to be heading into an interesting direction

"W-wait–" Militia began, only to stop and not from the sudden sharp elbow to the side from her sister, but rather she stopped as she stared at something behind Jaune. Her eyes were wide and Jaune was confused until he felt a hand on his shoulder.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Naughty Farmer (Feat. Yung Humma)- Flynt Flossy (Camp Camp OST)**

"Are you _still_ here?" Pyrrha asked as she entered the scene, a confident smirk on her face– an expression Jaune had never seen on her face before. "You have to warm a lady up first, Jaune, then we can talk about… _group activities._ " Pyrrha said as Militia failed to form a coherent sentence.

"Y-you're Py–"

"We all know who I am." Pyrrha said dismissively. "What's far more interesting is who you are." Pyrrha said before glancing at Melanie and a gob-smacked Jaune, who barely remembered to school his expression. "You two go have fun, the night's still young. Your sister is in good hands."

"Is she really?" Melanie asked teasingly, positively beaming for her sister who was still frozen in shock.

"Well…I've at least been told they were good. Hopefully, she can give you a review later." Pyrrha said as Jaune gave her a look that practically screamed: Who are you and what have you done with my partner?

He wasn't sure whether to be scared or proud.

"Fair warning, she might not be the same person after this." Pyrrha added as Melanie locked an arm around Jaune's. "Call it a personal experience, but believe me with the right person you'll be surprised at how far you'll go." Pyrrha said glancing at Jaune. "That's for certain."

["Jaune, what did you just unleash?"] Ren's voice asked quietly, and Jaune could picture a look of pure morbid fascination on the ninja's face from wherever he was spying from.

"Good enough for me!" Melanie said before practically dragging Jaune a way. "Make me proud, sis!" Melanie said before facing Jaune. "You two play your cards right and we can look at some of those…group activities."

At that moment, Jaune remembered the mission.

"Well, a jackpot has been hit tonight, but by who remains to be seen." Jaune said before spinning her around and grabbing her by her waist before they made their way to the dancefloor while, Pyrrha eyed her prey–er–objective.

"Love what you did with your hair." Pyrrha said as she ran her fingers through it gently before letting her hand slide down until it came to a stop on Militia's hip. "You obviously know about me, but what about you? What's your name?"

"Militia, Militia Malachite." Militia answered, feeling proud of herself for even being able to speak to the gorgeous woman before her.

"Militia, a powerful name for a powerful woman." Pyrrha complimented making Militia smile a bit wryly.

"I'm decent in a fight, but I wouldn't call myself powerful." Militia admitted, perhaps she would have at one point but after that humbling experience with that random blonde that attacked the club and the inability to be away from her sister for too long, she had reasons to doubt her power.

"Now, don't say that, being good in a fight makes you strong, but it doesn't make you powerful. Power comes in many forms, most of all, it's found in one's character." Pyrrha said with a kind smile, her thumb tracing small circles on Militia's side.

"And what about my character is powerful? Not to mention you've only known me for minutes." Militia said quietly, doing her best to ignore the champion's now wandering hand. Why she didn't simply remove it or tell the red-head to, she didn't know.

Well she knew.

She just didn't want to admit it.

"You have my favorite type of character. You're malleable, but more importantly, you are innocent despite how much you try to hide it or the fact you work in place like this." Pyrrha said as she tilted her head a bit and gazed down at Militia whom shuddered as she felt as though Pyrrha were staring deep into her very being. It was unnerving how naked she felt before Pyrrha. "You can be someone great, you know? You just have to get rid of this…weaker foundation and start over."

"And how do you propose I do that?" Militia questioned doing her best to ignore the hand on her rear, shuddering as Pyrrha's smile grew before she leant forward.

"That's the beauty of your character. For you its easiest to do the one thing most can't, you can give up what little power you already have." Pyrrha said before whispering into Militia's ear. "Give yourself to me for the evening and I'll show you a part of yourself you didn't know existed. I'll show you the path to true strength."

"Have you ever seen that work?"

"Yes." Pyrrha said resolutely without a second thought as Jaune flashed through her mind. "Though, what we'll do will be a bit more…fun." Pyrrha said as she nibbled on Militia's ear making her gasp. "Of course, you could always just tell me to stop." Pyrrha added and it was only then that Militia realized something was off and glanced down between herself and the champion to realize that Pyrrha's hand was somewhere it _definitely_ shouldn't have been in a public space.

"They'll…they'll see…" Militia whispered quietly, her face now as red as her dress as she bit her lip while Pyrrha just smiled politely as she always did.

"I don't hear you telling me to stop." Pyrrha said, her smile never wavering. "Well, at least until I step to the side." Pyrrha added making Militia tense as she looked at the red-head in muted horror, Pyrrha's smile making her look more terrifying. "But will I do that, I wonder? Tell me, do you trust me?" Pyrrha asked making Militia shudder.

"Y-yes…"

"With…" Pyrrha trailed off making Militia close her eyes

"Everything."

"Good. Now stand still, and enjoy your reward, we have a long night ahead of us." Pyrrha said as Militia leaned her head back against the wall and stared into Pyrrha's eyes, green mixing with green. It was absolutely mortifying for the more socially subdued of the Malachite twins. At any point, any one of her co-workers could just make the wrong step towards them and see what scandalous act was occurring in the club.

Her reputation would be ruined.

And who knows what would happen to Pyrrha's if news of this reached the paparazzi.

Yet despite this, the red-head clearly didn't care and from Militia's perspective she had much more to lose than her. That knowledge alone just made the situation much more…

…exciting.

"Oh, I'm going to have fun with you. I'll break you, and turn you into someone much stronger." Pyrrha said, her cheeks flushing a bit as desire filled her eyes. A desire to see just how far the woman before her would fall, how far she could rise, and a desire to simply see her _submit._

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Love/Hate Thing-Wale**

["Mother of God. What did you do, Jaune?"] Ren asked as Pyrrha never turned off her ear-piece making both him and Jaune hear everything that was occurring. The Ninja also had a sneaking suspicion that it wasn't by accident either. Whatever rush Militia seemed to be getting was definitely mutual. Jaune of course was unable to answer as he somehow, despite all reason, manage to keep a straight face and conversation going with Melanie over drinks despite being able to hear every single detail.

One thing, however, was going through Jaune's head on repeat as a chibi-version of himself did a victory dance.

" _I knew it! I knew it! I knew it!"_ Chibi-Jaune sang. His team often played off his complaints when finishing up training with Pyrrha in the first-time line as him not being used to real training. Part of that may have been true, but call it a sixth-sense…he just _knew_ something was off with his partner.

It was a suspicion that would last two time-lines,

A suspicion that was _finally_ proven to be fact.

Pyrrha Nikos.

His beloved partner.

Was a _fucking_ sadist!

["You were right, all along, you were right. We didn't listen Jaune, forgive us, we didn't listen."]

Oh, the sheer _joy_ Jaune would later have rubbing this in their faces.

The first time he realized this fact was when he noted on one evening during training that, Pyrrha would grow increasingly more enthusiastic and aggressive the more worn out he got. At first he thought it was just because he was tiring out that she seemed more aggressive…but then one night he saw her smile before kneeing him in the face.

It was a slip up, but he had _never_ seen her smile like that.

Not to mention she had a habit shoving him places whether it be against a wall, tree, training dummy, building, locker before she went off to– nope, happy thoughts. Point is, there were tidbits, warning signs, but never anything flat out concrete to prove it.

Pyrrha didn't simply like battle, she got pleasure from it. Whether it was simply the thrill, the pain, who knew but Jaune was completely confident in his hypothesis. Pyrrha loved fighting like Ruby loved weapons…

…slightly more than nature intended.

Pyrrha hated herself for it but she loved to tear people down as well as build them back up. Of course, she only tried to acknowledge getting joy from the latter part of the process. Still, Jaune knew.

 _He fucking knew._

"You okay there?" Melanie asked snapping Jaune from a trance he didn't know he slipped in to, staring at the tawny liquid in his glass. "You looked like one of those veterans we get time to time who have their flashbacks." Melanie joked making Jaune chuckle.

Yeah, Pyrrha's training could give one trauma.

" _ **Don't worry Jaune, if it hurts it's working!"**_

" _That lying b–"_ Jaune stopped his thoughts as he shook his head and gave Melanie a warm smile. "Sorry, just lost in thought in how I managed to hang out without someone like you for the evening." Jaune said making Melanie smile in satisfaction before he downed his glass.

It was going to be a _long_ night.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later-**

 **BGM: Body Language (Feat. Usher)-Tinashe**

"Well…consider myself humbled, Mr. Arc." Melanie said breathlessly, wiping sweat from her brow as she smiled at Jaune. Her face was flushed as they made their way off of the dance floor. Melanie had always thought she would be the best dancer to ever grace Junior's sad excuse for a dance floor.

Jaune proved her wrong.

"Where did you learn to dance like that?"

"Consider it a legacy of a misspent youth." Jaune said with a chuckle. "Still if you're tired we can find a place for you to rest, though I'd hate for our evening to end."

"Now who said anything about our evening ending?" Melanie questioned, a smirk playing at her lips. "You actually managed to make my feet hurt from dancing so much, believe me that's not an easy thing to do." Melanie said as she traced a finger on his chest. "How about you and I go somewhere a bit quieter so that we can… _relax."_

"Sounds like a plan to me." Jaune said with a grin of his own. "Please, lead the way."

"Follow me." Melanie said as she gently grabbed his hand before leading him away through the crowd of clubbers. As she led Jaune towards the back room of the club, Junior called out to them.

"Hey Mel! You might not want to head back there!" Junior shouted over the music to get her attention. Rolling her eyes in annoyance, Melanie released a huff before turning towards him.

"Why? Is there… _work_ …being done back there?" Melanie asked making Junior frown as he scratched the back of his head sheepishly.

"No, but–"

"But nothing. My room is back there and it's my day off, so excuse me while I go have fun with my new…friend here." Melanie said before unlocking the backroom with a keycard she pulled from her bra, making Jaune's eyes widen ever so slightly as he saw his objective. Junior looked as though he wanted to say something else but instead shook his head as Melanie put the keycard back and drug Jaune with her.

"I tried." Junior said, pouring himself a drink as the door closed behind Jaune.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Backroom-**

As Melanie led Jaune through a hallway and up the stairs of an apparently soundproofed section of the club. As they walked, Jaune noted they passed a metal door which required a keycard that he figured was the saferoom that Ren needed access too. Taking a mental note of its location, he continued following after Melanie only to nearly run her over when she stopped suddenly and gasped. Jaune blinked as she covered her mouth, her eyes wide as she looked forward at something that caught her off guard. It was then that he heard it.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: 3-Way (Instrumental)- Lonely Island**

 **OR**

 **BGM: Please Excuse My Hands-Plies**

A moan.

Blinking owlishly, Jaune looked up and even he couldn't stop his jaw from dropping at the sight before him. Pyrrha had apparently not only beaten him to the back room, but was apparently _much_ closer to getting a keycard for Ren than he was. He watched in morbid fascination as Pyrrha held Militia up, the brunette's back pressed firmly against a wall as her legs wrapped tightly around Pyrrha's waist, who had her face pressed firmly in the twin's bust.

Such a genuine look of complete and utter wonder hadn't crossed Jaune's face since the first time he had seen Nora eat a hundred pancakes back during his first time at Beacon. To their credit it only took until Pyrrha removed her face and began kissing Militia's neck that the two realized they had an audience.

"Well, well, what do we have here?" Melanie asked and if Jaune didn't know any better he'd say she sounded proud. Jaune just crossed his arms, leaning against a nearby wall as he took in the sight, the look of wonder still on his face. Militia looked as though she were a kid who just got caught with her hand in the cookie jar which, when Jaune glanced down between his partner and her target, the knight realized was a description that would fit Pyrrha better.

Though the Spartan looked completely unfazed.

"It's exactly what it looks like." Pyrrha said after a moment as Militia tried to hide her face behind her hands as Melanie just giggled.

"Thanks for the clarification." Melanie said as she shook her head before pouting at her sister. "As proud as I am, Militia, I had plans for our room tonight."

"You two share a room?" Jaune asked curiously after finding his voice.

"Not much space back here for another room and we can't have Junior sleep on the couch since he owns this place." Melanie explained before turning back to Militia. "May I borrow my sister for a bit? We need to figure something out, I don't want to ruin her…evening…but I have a dryspel I'm trying to get rid of."

"By all means." Pyrrha said politely as she placed Militia down on her feet only for the twin to nearly collapse as her legs trembled. Militia bit her lip and moaned once more when Pyrrha removed her ever-wondering hand.

"We shouldn't take long." Melanie said and Jaune just blinked owlishly as Melanie gave him a wink a dragged her sister into the room, closing the door behind them.

…

…

…

 **BGM: END**

"Here." Pyrrha said suddenly pulling out a Keycard and neither her nor Jaune were fazed when a pair of magenta eyes appeared in a dark corner of the room before Ren strode into the scene. He grabbed the card from Pyrrha as if it were a used tissue and gave her a weak smile.

"…Thank you."

"You were here already?" Jaune asked quietly making Ren nod.

"I slipped in here with Pyrrha, you took a bit longer than expected." Ren pointed out making Pyrrha nod.

"I'm surprised, I expected you to beat me here, Captain. Getting rusty?" Pyrrha teased making Jaune roll his eyes.

"Forgive me for wining and dining a girl before I try to strip her." Jaune said dryly making Pyrrha snort.

"That was your first mistake, they're not just girls-they're freaks. Just get straight to the point." Pyrrha pointed out.

"If I didn't know better I'd say you have experience in this?'

"Personal experience, very personal. What's the saying, takes one to know one?" Pyrrha mused not at all flustered. "Anything, anytime, if you're the right person you can make anyone do anything." Pyrrha said before smirking. "Am I making you uncomfortable?" Pyrrha teased making Jaune roll his eyes.

Oh how the tables have turned.

Perhaps they should have held back on hazing the rookie a little.

"Of course not." Jaune said as he crossed his arms and met Pyrrha's amused gaze with one of his own. Her grin only grew as if she were accepting some unsaid challenge.

"Ten." Pyrrha said suddenly confusing Jaune.

"Ten what?"

"That's how many licks it takes for freak to grow." Pyrrha said bluntly making Jaune's eyes widen.

"How drunk are you?"

"Very, but I'm still quite aware of my actions, thank you."

"I don't know who you are anymore." Jaune said before chuckling a bit. "But I like you."

"Is that right?" Pyrrha mused, stepping towards him, but before the tension could grow any thicker– as hard as that was– Ren finally cleared his throat, reminding the two that he was still there.

"Er– right, anyway, Ren we're good to go then?" Jaune asked, prepared to ditch the twins while they were discussing whatever it was that they were discussing.

"Not exactly, like I said, this card is only for the lock I can't open. Actually, getting into the vault and cracking the safe? That'll take a bit more time." Ren explained making Jaune nod.

"How long?" Pyrrha asked curiously.

"Twenty…thirty minutes at the most. Keep them busy for me, I'll slide the card under the door when I'm done. They'll probably just think they dropped it." Ren said making Jaune and Pyrrha nod. At that moment, Ren disappeared into the shadows once more as the door opened.

"Okay, everything is settled." Melanie said as she opened the door to their room which was covered in an orangish glow by the dim lights. "We've come to an…agreement." Melanie said after a moment glancing back at her sister who looked as though she were about to faint.

"Should we be concerned?" Jaune questioned as he raised an eyebrow.

"Like, not at all~" Melanie said as she trailed a finger on his chest before looking up at him impishly. "We talked and decided that we can all…have our fun. You of course remember those, _group activities_ we glossed over, earlier right?"

Even the now fully awakened Pyrrha couldn't stop her eyes from widening as the sunglasses slid Jaune's face as he looked at Melanie incredulously.

"Come again, say _what?"_ Jaune asked for clarification making Melanie giggle as they saw Militia avert her eyes from them.

"Come on, don't make me say it~" Melanie said, her cheeks flushing as both Jaune and Pyrrha adopted quite possibly the most blank expressions known to man.

Their lack of visible emotion would even make Ren envious.

"I…see…that's quite the idea...mind if Pyrrha and I huddle up a bit, we'll be quick I promise." Jaune said making Melanie pout about though she nodded.

"Sure, just don't take too long, even for me it took a lot to propose… _it_." Melanie said making Jaune nod as he forced a smile on his face.

"We'll be fast, promise."

"Well…not too fast I hope." Melanie said with a wink that sent a chill down both of the partners' backs.

"Of course not…"Jaune said as both he and Pyrrha stepped back and quietly closed the door before turning around and starting a two-man huddle. "Okay…shit just got real…really fast."

"What do we do?" Pyrrha asked with a frown.

"We need to buy time for Ren…and the most obvious way is to well…" Jaune trailed off making Pyrrha nod. "Look." Jaune began with a sigh. "I can take one for the team, a one-night stand to complete a mission is oddly enough not too uncommon for me."

"I...I'm game if you are. A one-night stand is no issue for me either. Not with everything else that's at stake." Pyrrha said firmly making Jaune roll his eyes.

"No offense, I kind of figured that out." Jaune said gesturing to his ear making Pyrrha laugh sheepishly. "Perhaps if I wasn't drowning you out I would have known you were successful, so this is on me. Look the issue isn't them, it's us and we both know it." Jaune said as he gestured between the two of them.

"You know when we finally addressed that elephant in the room I was expecting it to be under…different…circumstances." Pyrrha said making Jaune bow his head.

"Yeah me too." Jaune said as he shook his head. "They're not civilians, they have aura, and can fight so we can't just knock them out…well not easily anyway."

"Look…it's just sex."

"When is it _ever_ just sex?"

"…Point…look it doesn't count alright, surely you know of the golden rule?" Pyrrha said making Jaune frown.

"Excuse me?"

"Some of my more vulgar teammates used to bring it up when we would travel and they would spend nights with the locals." Pyrrha explained. "Pretty much, if there is someone else between us then we have some lee-way, right? And I counted _two_ people in there so we are even safer!"

"What the _hell_ is that logic?"

"You tell me, you're the guy trying to talk yourself out of a foursome." Pyrrha said bluntly, her face beginning to redden. "Do you have any idea of many fans of mine would quite literally kill you right now? Look, hands to ourselves, minimum eye-contact, and we never speak of this again."

"It seems we have no choice." Jaune said after a moment. "I agree to your terms."

["Never in my years of following you have I ever seen your resolve shatter that quickly."]

"Alright then." Pyrrha said as both she and Jaune blatantly ignored the incredulous voice of the peanut-gallery known as Lie Ren.

"For the crown?" Jaune said as he raised his fist.

"For the crown." Pyrrha agreed as she fist-bumped him before they turned back towards the door.

 **BGM: Bump and Grind-R. Kelly**

 **OR**

 **BGM: Let's get it on-Marvin-Gaye**

 **OR**

 **BGM: Real Sisters (Instrumental)-Future**

"That really wasn't too long." Melanie said sounding pleased as Jaune and Pyrrha re-entered the room, a look of determination burning in their eyes. "I like that fire in your eye."

"I'm a man on a mission." Jaune said as he tossed off his jacket and began loosening his tie while Pyrrha climbed on to Militia's bed and pinned her hands in place.

"Don't make a sound." Pyrrha demanded making Militia nod her head mutely as she looked up at Pyrrha who gave her a dark smile. "Good."

 **-With Ren-**

" _Wait...oh! It only looked like the current year's model, they really didn't update the aesthetic of the safe at all. A pleasant miscalculation."_ Ren thought as he broke into the safe and grabbed the briefcase he was aiming for. "Jaune, Pyrrha, I-"

 **Death**

Ren's eyes widened as a bead of sweat slid down his face as the sounds of muffled and not-so muffled moans filled his ears. It was then that Ren thanked his survival instincts for stopping him. Jaune and Pyrrha had clearly passed the point of no return.

Without a doubt.

If he had explained his error…

…he would die.

There were only four people currently that he would actually admit had the potential to kill him…they made up half of them.

"…need more time…keep it up." Ren finished lamely as he quickly and quietly removed any trace of his presence.

 **-Hours Later-**

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: I Just Had Sex- Lonely Island**

Jaune and Pyrrha both silently stared up at the ceiling, both smelling like sweat and shame. Their attempt to minimize eye contact failed horribly, it was like watching a train wreck to be honest. At many points one of them would do something that caught the other's attention and they would actually have to remind themselves of their respective twin that they needed to keep busy.

After a bit over half an hour, Ren would tell them of his success but at that point, well, there was no way for them to suddenly back out and exit the situation so he simply left the building with his objective complete.

"So…that was a thing." Jaune said after a moment, breaking the awkward silence.

"Agreed. Also, seeing how we have reached an unsalvageable level of awkwardness already, may I just say _wow."_ Pyrrha said raising her head and glancing over at him as he did the same. Chuckling, Jaune shook his head as he took in the absurdity of it all.

"Yeah, well, your body is pretty impressive too. Pumpkin Pete does not do you justice." Jaune joked quietly. "I'll admit, a small part of me wishes I could kick my younger self's ass."

"Believe me the feeling is mutual towards my counterpart." Pyrrha said with an eyeroll. Though they had officially seen every part of each other, and had a few moments of minimum physical contact…at no point did they manage to cross that line with each other.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Let Me Explain-Bryson Tiller**

That said, they both had _quite_ the idea of what they were missing out on if the responses of the twins were anything to go by. At one point, they began competing, why? They didn't know…at this point competing with each other was just a strange dynamic to their partnership. That said, it came to a draw…at least they made it a draw when both Melanie and Militia were unable to think coherently anymore.

"More than ever. I want to fight you." Pyrrha said suddenly making Jaune look at her skeptically.

"Are you sure that's the right word?"

"I'm serious." Pyrrha said as she held his gaze. "An itch only you can scratch, come at me with the intent to kill." It was too complex to put into words, her want-no-need to fight him, it was just something that had to be done.

And Jaune understood.

He really did.

He hid it much better, but he wanted it just as much as she did. Why, even he didn't know, but they were both positive that the answers would come when they clashed.

"Gladly." Jaune said making her shudder, blinking he couldn't help but ask. "Did you just–"

"Shut up."

"Oh my _God."_

"Don't make it awkward." Pyrrha muttered as she tried to force her self to sit up. "Only release I got all night. Bless her soul, she tried but she wasn't enough." Pyrrha said as she brushed some hair from Melanie's face. At that moment she tensed as the twin suddenly reminded her of someone she really didn't want to be reminded of.

Especially not while in the same room as Jaune.

It just made things feel more wrong than they already were.

 **(KoR Fun Fact: Militia and Melanie were the original designs for Ruby and Weiss)**

"Well, let's go." Jaune said after awhile before he stealthily removed himself from Melanie's side and prepared to get dressed. Pyrrha went to do the same, but when she sat up Militia grumbled a bit before tiredly opening her eyes.

"Heading out?" Militia asked quietly making Pyrrha nod with small smile.

"Afraid so, why, want me to stay?" Pyrrha teased as Militia frowned a bit. Truth be told, the twin would like that very much. She had the most exciting night she ever had thanks to the Spartan.

And it was because of that she realized Pyrrha couldn't stay.

Or else she'd end up depending on her like she had her sister.

For the first time, Militia realized she could _live_ with her own strength, she had grown as a person. The fear she had of losing this new level of control simply outweighed her desire to spend more time with Pyrrha.

Which was definitely saying something.

"No." Militia said after a moment making Pyrrha smile proudly.

"Good girl, see what happens when you trust me?" Pyrrha asked making her smile as Jaune just shook his head in wonder as he waited for his partner to get dressed.

"Hey, sorry for being that guy just up and leaves but…" Jaune began as he got Militia's attention before he gestured towards Melanie.

"It's fine. She kicks people out every time, you're just saving her trouble." Militia said dismissively making him nod.

"Works for me." Jaune said before noticing a black keycard on the floor, most likely from Ren. "Though don't worry about not seeing your playmate, something tells me our paths will cross again soon."

"Counting on it." Militia said before glancing at Pyrrha. "That said, do me a favor and put my keycard on the nightstand." Militia said making them tense.

"Uh…" Jaune trailed off as he and Pyrrha shared and uneasy glance.

"…You knew?" Pyrrha asked as she blinked owlishly making Militia sigh.

"I noticed it missing when my sister dragged us into our room. You need to get better at this part of the job." Militia said with a sad smile. "It hurt being blatantly used like that…but…you stayed." Militia told Pyrrha quietly. "So, I'm going to trust you, good things tend to happen when I do it seems." Militia said as the Knights looked at her in surprise as a pained expression crossed Militia's face.

"What's wrong?" Jaune asked with a concerned frown, opposing sides forgotten as his heroic nature kicked in.

"Look, we are in some shady business, though I doubt I have to tell you. Apparently, you've done your homework on us." Militia said as she sat up, bringer her knees to her chest. "Junior, he's an ass, but he's as good of a guy as you can expect in this world we live in. He has a code, its why Melanie and I stay working for him…that said he's gotten mixed up with some people who I doubt care about his code."

"We're aware." Jaune said with a frown making Militia nod as she released a shuddering breath.

"How bad of a situation is Junior in, really?" Militia questioned making the blond grimace.

"If the people he's working with have their way, lots of innocent people will die. Men, women, children, they aren't out for money. What they want is chaos, pure and simple." Jaune said seriously making Militia wince. "We aren't exactly walking on the right side of the legal line either, but we're trying to stop them by any means necessary–"

"They will be safe." Pyrrha interrupted Jaune as she stared into Militia's eyes. "That's what you really want to know right? Junior and your sister will be safe so long as they cooperate."

"Agreed." Jaune said, silently praising Pyrrha for her ability to read people as he watched Militia visibly relax as a look of hope appeared on her face. "He's in deep, but we can pull him and you both out as well as make sure you are fairly compensated. A representative of ours will visit you this weekend. Listen to her and do as she says. Consider this your second chance."

"A second chance…those don't come easily you know? And not for free." Militia said making Jaune give her a rueful smile as he seemed to age before her very eyes.

"Oh, I know." Jaune said quietly. "Believe me, I know."

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later: Airship-**

 **BGM: Exchange- Bryson Tiller**

"I won't lie, I'm a bit disappointed I didn't actually have to use my weapon." Pyrrha said as they sat in a vacant air-ship to Beacon. Jaune's jacket was wrapped around her shoulders as they sat facing a large window.

"You know…that tends to happen when missions go as planned. Countless missions I've either been on or planned, and only a handful of them actually went according to plan. Savor this Pyrrha, it's a luxury we don't get often." Jaune advised making Pyrrha nod. "Though I must admit, sadistic streak aside…I don't get what actually made you resist this part of you?"

"You think my _slight_ sadism is why I hated myself so much?" Pyrrha questioned tiredly, ignoring the look Jaune sent her that said slight was not the adjective he would have used. "The thing about people, Jaune, is that at the end of the day no one knows who they really are but they themselves."

"And who are you really, that had you so scared?"

"Exactly what you see, what the world sees." Pyrrha said quietly. "I am a Champion, the best huntress my age. I _love_ to fight but importantly, I love the glory, the praise, the feeling when I overpower everyone in my way."

"Huh, the way you made it seem it was like you hated all of that, especially your fame."

"I _cherished_ my fame, Jaune, it was proof that my blood, sweat, and tears paid off." Pyrrha said honestly. "That's why I hated myself. You think Weiss is bad? You should have seen me before Beacon, lording my status around, confident to the point of arrogance. From what I hear, that arrogance is what got me killed."

"What do you mean?" Jaune asked with a confused frown.

"That last fight of my counterpart? Believe me, I know it was selfless– hell, even I'm impressed by it– I know it was the right thing to do, and I know it inspired you all to fight back. I know all of this, but I also know what must have gone through my mind." Pyrrha said as she shook her head. "Even though she had best the headmaster himself, don't think for a moment I didn't believe I could take her. I probably had every intention of coming back, plans of us celebrating yet another victory of mine, together. However, it seems I finally bit off more than I could chew."

Pyrrha's voice was now tight with emotion.

"You may think I am a deep individual, but take a step inside– behind my emotional walls– and see just how shallow I really am. Most of my character can be found on a damn cereal box." Pyrrha said bitterly, leaning forward in her seat as she folded her hands together and glared at the ground. "How could anyone care for someone as two-dimensional as that?"

"You tell me, I was even worse than you." Jaune said with a snort. "Spitting on the effort all of my friends who actually earned their way into Beacon with my lies. Honestly expecting that I could catch up to someone like you in a couple of months just because it was my family legacy to be warriors. Twice I have been accepted into Beacon and not once did I earn it. Yet despite all that, you still helped me. You who was at the exact opposite end of the spectrum."

"Yes, I did help you, but let's not pretend it was all out of good will. I am no saint, I helped you because I loved you. I wanted to keep you with me and something tells me I couldn't do that if you were expelled. Fortunately, you obviously had talent, you just needed to work on it seriously." Pyrrha said with a grimace. "God, I probably treated you like a pet. Someone that could love me with just a little attention and training."

"Tell me, why did you try so hard to separate yourself from who you really were?" Jaune asked making Pyrrha turn towards him with a frown.

"it's sad really, when I got accepted to Beacon, I was overjoyed but…I had no one I could tell who was truly happy for me. I had a lot of fans, but no friends. People I informed simply said 'of course' or laughed at the idea of me not getting in, of the idea that I wasn't perfect. It's one thing for other people to see how shallow you are, but when you yourself realize it…it hurts. Like realizing a room of people are laughing at you, not with you." Pyrrha explained making Jaune nod.

"So, you were self-aware. Congratulations, you have more depth than most of the planet." Jaune said sarcastically. "You saw a perceived issue with yourself and you went to fix it, how harmful that attempt ended up being doesn't matter right now." Jaune said as he held her gaze. "You do have depth Pyrrha, but removing part of yourself to make yourself more substantial as a person is silly. You need to add on to it. You're a champion, an ideal, a wonderful huntress but now what? _Add_ on to it don't remove it."

"But Jaune–"

"No buts, Nikos." Jaune ordered. "Be as confident in yourself– or arrogant as you call it– as you want, as long as you back it up it doesn't matter. So, what if this ends up making you be seen as this untouchable figure, if no one makes the attempt to reach you they weren't worth your time to begin with. Grab my hand." Jaune said suddenly as he extended a hand towards Pyrrha before stopping it. Blinking in confusion, Pyrrha reached out her hand to grab it. "We both need to reach out to connect, we both need to make an effort. Don't be ashamed for demanding others to meet you half way."

"…I…I–"

 _*Drip*_

Oh dear God she was crying, wiping her eyes incredulously, she looked up at Jaune as if it were the first time she had ever seen him.

"Thank you, Jaune." Pyrrha said as she placed her second hand over his and continued to stare into his eyes. This man, she owed him so much. She didn't care if he'd say she didn't or that he was returning a favor, she knew she owed him and that was all that mattered. At that moment she made an oath. She wouldn't be like her counterpart…

…she would not fail him like _she_ had…

She was stronger.

Better.

Smarter.

Though they had yet to have their fight, she knew deep within her soul that she had finally found him…

…her superior.

The Captain of the Knights of Rose.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later: Beacon Kitchens-**

"Hold on, I'm gonna grab me a quick…bite…" Jaune trailed off awkwardly as he entered the kitchen with Pyrrha who was now holding her pair of heels in her hands. They both blinked as they found Ruby sitting at the table, her head in her hands as she visibly forced herself to keep reading her book. "Uh…you okay there, Crater Face?"

"Must…keep…reading…" Ruby said sounding fatigued as Jaune and Pyrrha just sweat-dropped. Walking towards her, Jaune placed his hand on the book and pulled it back away from Ruby. "What?" Ruby asked, blinking slowly as she tried to register the fact that her text had suddenly vanished in thin air.

"Yeah, you need to go to bed, what time is it?" Jaune asked Pyrrha whom quickly checked her scroll.

"Five."

"Can't…stop…" Ruby said as she weakly reached for the book even as Jaune moved it back until she was blatantly lying on the table in an effort to grab it. Jaune winced as Ruby looked as though she were actually going to cry, making him feel as though he kicked a puppy.

"Tell you what, I'll give this back to you after a break." Jaune said making Ruby look at him in confusion.

"…Break?"

"Yeah, a cookie break." Jaune said with an impish smile playing at his lips as a bit of life returned to Ruby's eyes. Perking up a bit, Ruby looked at him surprise before frowning.

"No cookies, already looked, it's why I'm here." Ruby said looking as though she were going to cry from the reminder of her failed efforts alone.

"But there are ingredients, last I checked." Jaune said knowing that the most time he checked was the day prior…along with every day prior to that. The Knights had made sure to have emergency cookie ingredients on the go just in case Ruby needed to be reined in. The chocolate chip cookie was a holy symbol for the Knights.

It was the only thing that kept Empress Rose from going full dystopian dictator at times when her patience ran thin.

They even made a national holiday dedicated to the glorious creation that was the cookie.

"You…you two want to bake cookies with me?" Ruby said sounding both delighted and surprised. She was, of course, down for it but she was surprised her friends were willing to join her. Especially giving how exhausted they looked, hell Pyrrha's make up looked off…almost as if she had been crying. Frowning, Ruby was going to question if she was okay only for the Spartan to suddenly clap her hands together with a bright smile.

"That sounds wonderful!" Pyrrha said brightly, so brightly that Jaune had wondered if she had faked her response–something he was going to now keep an eye out for. However, to his surprise, Pyrrha looked just as surprised at her reaction as well. Jaune just gave her a knowing smirk.

" _Perhaps there was truth to her 'mask' than even she realized."_ Jaune mused only to turn to Ruby when he heard her gasp.

"Alright then!" Ruby said with a fist-pump, deciding not to bring up Pyrrha's emotional state. Even if she had been crying, it was clear that whatever the reason was now behind the Spartan and she wasn't about to go and dig up old wounds.

"Well then, let's get started." Jaune said with a smile as they began what would unknowingly become a bi-weekly routine for the three of them.

 **To be Continued…**

 **Next Chapter: A Rose Ranks up!**

 **Reviews:**

 **Korben600: Lol glad you liked it, won't lie that's the first I ever heard of avoiding a fic in fear that it would be good, lmao.**

 **Lowrex: I'll try not too!**

 **Xyz: Nice names lol and yeah there will be moments when the actions of the Knights each darker grey areas that creates some…conflicts of interest…to say the least. Weiss and Blakes are going to be interesting which is why I'm saving them for now. The beginning of their training will mark some major development for their characters. Blake's is definitely being kept on the downlow for now which is why she hasn't been shown much but believe me she will be getting major focus in time.**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Lol! Yup!**

 **Tommy298: In Jaune's mind both the Ruby and Pyrrha he loved are gone for good. He's actually not actively trying to romance either of them, whether one of them fall for him again and it leads to something else is a different matter altogether thought.**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Yup the woman is starved for a good fight, bored out of her mind. The Vytal arc is going to be…well its gonna be a clusterfuck with so many different plans going on just know shit gets real.**

 **Littlest1: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! Yeah Nora and Yang's training is going to be the foundation for some MAJOR buffs for Yang as the story progresses. At the moment she is blatantly the most powerful in team RWBY and to be honest even down the road with the obvious exception of Ruby, that might not entirely change. Nora's leading her on a path to greatness, though Yang doesn't understand just how great yet.**

 **Bankerrtx01: Reclaiming Vale for Ruby will be an interesting adventure, though I'll say right now Ironwood won't be involved. Unfortunately, he's not a guy we have seen be able to stick to his role and stay there. In fact, when you think about it as good as his intentions are he has yet to make one good decision since he was introduced, he has literally only made things worse which is while the Knights are as wary of him as they are. Later on when things need to be done in Atlas he'll play a role-I wont say what kind of role- but as far as Vale is concerned don't expect much. Also glad you caught the reference!**

 **TheNeah: Lmao please don't remind me that I have to write that lmao glad you liked that chapter and that you saw what I did there ;D.**

 **Tounen: That will be something revealed later, thanks for the review!**

 **Dexterity: Yeah but when you look at it, at the end of the day having good intentions is not enough. The road to hell is paved with good intentions and not once in the story has he actually made a good decision. He has literally only made things worse and harder for the story to progress. He's a man who just can't "stay in his lane" and oversteps his role. This is why the Knights don't like him, they can't trust him.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Blake has been intentionally left in the dark for now, her training is something kept close to the chest for now. She WILL have a major role but not just yet, I will say this: She will be the last to start their training.**

 **Lloyd RPGFan: Lol hope you enjoyed this chapter! Jaune won something that's for sure.**

 **FateBurn: Glad you liked it!**

 **AJ Lexie: Glad you liked the chapter and yeah Ren is the leader of their Black Ops, he's probably done most of the dark actions that made the Knights grey overall. Still, Nora loves her killer. Thanks for catching that typo btw and the JNP was because Ren was not there. Also, I think you might have read a little fast there, he didn't pull a prank he was "pulling rank" lol. Your brain…is a scary but interesting place I'll give you that lmao. Glad you liked the chapter!**

 **Dandyrr0403: Glad you liked it!**

 **Thedarkness1996: Thanks glad you liked it!**


	9. A Rose Ranks Up!

**Disclaimer: Don't own shiiiittttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttttt**

 **Happy Holidays from the X7 Group!**

 **Rebuff: Boss...you're kind of early...**

 **...Seriously? The one fucking time i'm early-never mind...remember the festive cheer, go to your happy place.**

 **Hope you enjoy the bonus omake present for you all! Can't wait to work with not just my group but all of you as fans for the 2018 year! May 2018 be the best year yet!**

 **BETAED by: The Undying Will**

 **BGMS:**

 **Through the Valley- Shawn James**

 _ **ReBELLION- Hiroyuki Sawano**_

 **Birth of a Wish- NieR Automata OST**

 **Cookie Jar-Gym Class Heroes**

 **Chapter 9: A Rose Ranks Up**

 **(Alternate Title: I can explain!)**

 _ **-?-**_

 **BGM: Through the Valley- Shawn James**

 _Ruby looked around in confusion as she found herself standing in a battlefield. Or at least, what used to be one. Her throat burned, the urge to vomit strong, as she found herself surrounded by corpses. She could only remember bits and pieces of it, but there was no doubt in her mind that this was the same nightmare that had been plaguing her for nearly every night since initiation._

 _She began to walk._

 _She had to._

 _For once, she had to get to the end of this horrible nightmare!_

 _With each step she got closer and closer to the part of the nightmare that always scared her into waking up._

 _Eventually, she managed to make it to the end of this horrible valley of death._

 _However, when she did, she realized that that wasn't a good thing._

" _No…" Ruby whimpered, tears falling freely, as she begged for any outside force to wake her up as she simply collapsed to her knees in a pool of blood that spilled from the nearby bodies. Before her was something she never wanted to see, a literal mountain of corpses all piled on top of each other. Her eyes trembled a she looked up to find a shadowy figure standing tall on the corpses. Ruby gripped her chest tightly, her heart filling as though it were splitting in two._

 _ **Alone.**_

 _The word boomed through her head, her very soul shaking as the figure revealed itself to be a woman with, long black and red hair. Her eyes were shadowed by her bangs as she stood tall on the mountain, her red and gold cape billowing behind her like a flag as rose petals fell on the battlefield turned graveyard– almost as if they were trying to pay respects to the fallen._

 _The sickeningly familiar scythe was held firmly in the woman's grasp and stabbed down into the mountain, a holographic banner bearing an all too familiar emblem appeared behind the scythe, flowing freely in a non-existent wind._

 _ **I…must always stand alone.**_

 _ **At the top of my mountain of mistakes.**_

 _ **I must never waver.**_

 _ **I must never break.**_

 _ **Never**_

 _ **Never.**_

 _ **Never.**_

 _ **Friend and foe alike must never see me bleed.**_

 _ **To cry.**_

" _Stop." Ruby pleaded._

 _ **My humanity must be discarded.**_

 _ **I must become an ideal.**_

 _ **An ideal of hope.**_

 _ **Never hesitating.**_

 _ **Never wavering.**_

 _ **Never Breaking.**_

 _ **Never.**_

 _ **Never.**_

 _ **NEVER.**_

 _The Empress gripped her Scythe tighter and tighter, her knuckles turning white. Her mouth shifted a bit as if she were trying to hold back something._

 _A cry?_

 _Vomit?_

 _A scream of rage?_

 _ **Joy or nothing.**_

 _ **These are the only emotions I have the luxury of sharing.**_

 _ **Never despair.**_

 _ **Despair is forbidden.**_

 _ **Fragility is forbidden.**_

 _ **Humanity is forbidden.**_

 _ **However so is love.**_

 _The corpses shifted a bit and the tearful Ruby felt her blood chill as an all too familiar shield bearing an all too familiar emblem slid down the mountain. It was then that Ruby slowly shook her head as she realized that many of the corpses on the mountain were people she knew. From JNPR to her own team…her own sister…her mother…her father…even Qrow._

 _ **To love in public is to show dependence.**_

 _ **To depend is to be human.**_

 _ **Therefore, I rule alone.**_

 _ **To bear the crown…**_

… _ **is to sentence oneself to hell.**_

 _ **However, if in exchange everyone else may know paradise?**_

 _ **Then I shall gladly carry this burden.**_

 _ **Alone.**_

 _ **I must save this world from destruction and pain.**_

… _ **I must save it from itself…**_

 _The Empress' eyes closed as she schooled her expression. It was then that the world shifted as Salem appeared before the Empress with a glare, towering over the Empress as Ruby looked up at the demonic woman in horror and confusion._

 _ **BGM: END**_

 _ **BGM: ReBELLION- Hiroyuki Sawano**_

 _ **You scream, "Divide them"**_

 _ **I roar, "Unite them."**_

 _ **You claim I cannot keep up this façade, that I will break. That I can't hide my humanity forever.**_

 _ **I don't need to.**_

 _ **I just need to outlast you.**_

 _ **Fear and evil have always ruled this world which is why I never saw my Empire as just that.**_

 _ **It was never an Empire.**_

 _ **It was a rebellion.**_

" _You fool! You can't keep this up forever! One day those precious subjects of yours will know the truth!" Salem roared as she jumped back to avoid a strike from the Empress. "When they see your thorns, the blood on your hands, the similarities between us, they will call for your blood!" Salem roared as pitch black tendrils shot at the Empress only to hit an after image._

" _Then so be it." The Empress said as she fell from high in the air as Ruby looked on at the fight in awe as the Empress maneuvered herself in mid-air, lazily dodging Salem's attacks. "If they want my blood after this, they can have it. They can have everything! All that I am is for them, that's what it means to be an Empress!" The Empress roared_

 _ ***BANG!*  
**_

 _Salem's eyes widened as the Empress released a shot that sent her flying straight down at Salem, her Scythe now embedded in her neck. However, Salem didn't bleed. Raising her hand, she stabbed It through the Empress' chest._

 _The Empress did bleed._

 _However, no sign of pain appeared on her face._

" _You're a fool. You preach you'll save everyone despite failing so many? You chase a dream you know is impossible. You blind your followers, using smoke and mirrors to make them follow you…those are the actions of a spoiled little girl not an Empress!" Salem boomed._

" _So, what? I know my sins more than any one. I pay for them every day. This crown has hurt me far more than you ever could. Yet I wear it gladly. Why? Because my people smile when I do, they are happy. If it's for them then I will gladly sentence myself to this hell in this lifetime and the next as I chase my impossible dream."_

" _You're insane." Salem finally spoke, her face filled with wonder. "Who would willingly do this to themselves!? Go this far for a people you know will turn on you at the first sight of weakness?" Salem said before gritting her teeth angrily. "They call me a monster, but I know the truth. If they knew how similar we truly are, not even your closest of companions would follow you! I know what you've done!"_

" _You're right." The Empress said, blood spilling from her lips. "Which is why when you fall, I'll gladly accept my punishment. Don't fool yourself into believing that for a second I thought my tale was anything but tragic. I died the moment I sat on my throne, all of this is just borrowed time."_

" _You–"_

" _My light can't exist without your darkness. My order can't exist without your chaos. Do you think I didn't know this fatal flaw? That I don't know how naturally terrible people are?" The Empress asked rhetorically. "That doesn't mean I won't try. Somebody_ _ **fucking**_ _has to."_

" _Well aren't you just perfect?" Salem sneered but to her confusion, the Empress suddenly laughed as if Salem had something hilarious._

" _I'm not perfect. Not yet. But I'm still leagues better than you." The Empress mocked before pulling the trigger, sending her scythe ripping through Salem's neck and making the evil woman disperse. "To think you've made it this far already. They must be pushing you to your limits, little one." The Empress said before turning towards the shell-shocked form of Ruby._

 _Suddenly, the ground began to tremble as a large castle began to appear from beneath the Empress' feet sending her rising higher and higher into the air as the bodies vanished._

" _At this rate you will be able to ascend within the year…that said, that time is still not now. The Nightmares will get more complex as you adapt to my heart merging with yours. With this merge comes a power not even I possessed. Unfortunately, though your heart is strong, your mind is not. Any progress you make here will go to your subconscious. Your memories of what you see here will only return in your dreams."_

" _Wait! What's going on!? What is this–"_

" _You have many questions, the answers for which you will have to earn by progressing both here and the outside world." The Empress interrupted. "You have been tormented endlessly with this nightmare because it was to instill a lesson you desperately needed into your being. You've gained my focus, an ability that will help you in many battles to come. A leader must never hesitate, and now you will never again."_

" _What are you doing to me?" Ruby asked weakly, finally fed up with the lack of answers._

" _Making you stronger. Stronger than I ever could be." The Empress replied. "That said, however, this nightly torment was a bit much. Though, it had to be done. Rest assured, however, you will dream normally once more and sleep peacefully. You will only be faced with something like this when you are strong enough to handle the next step. There is so much left for you to learn and so little time. Speaking of time, it's time for you to–"_

 _ **-BGM: END-**_

 _ **-Kitchen-**_

"Wake up." Jaune said once more, shaking Ruby awake. Ruby awoke with a gasp, confused and disoriented as she had no idea where she was. She quickly rose her head from Pyrrha's lap as she regained her bearings. Her head ached a bit as she tried to recall what the hell she had just dreamt about. It was something scary, that much was obvious as she felt her heart thundering in her chest, but when she tried to think about it she just drew a blank.

"Huh…wha?"

"Looks like we passed out." Jaune noted, still in his suit, before handing Ruby a handkerchief. "Got a little…" Jaune trailed off gesturing to his face. Ruby's eyes widened in horror as she realized what he meant. Mortified, Ruby took the cloth quickly. She couldn't believe that she got caught drooling in her sleep by Jaune or that she fell asleep on Pyrrha. It was then she frowned a bit, though it was embarrassing it wasn't unusual for her. Her team had caught her drooling more than once, even in class.

So why did the thought of Jaune seeing her like that make her so uneasy?

She would have continued this train of thought if something else didn't register to her at that moment.

She fell asleep on Pyrrha.

Slowly turning to the side, she felt her face redden as she saw Pyrrha stretching her arms having just woken up. Blinking tiredly, Pyrrha yawned before glancing down at her lap in confusion. She frowned when she saw something wet sliding down her inner thigh.

"Oh my god I'm so sorry!" Ruby cried out as she went to wipe up her drool, her face the reddest either them had ever seen it.

"Huh, wait what's going on?" Pyrrha asked in confusion having just woken up only to find Ruby frantically putting her hand in between her legs.

"Ruby got you wet." Jaune pointed out and it was with that line and the sight of a red-faced Ruby with her hand in between Pyrrha's legs that Blake walked in. Her book falling from her hands, hitting the ground and getting their attention. It was the look of absolute shock on the face of the normally stoic faunas' face that made Jaune realize he could have picked better wording.

Ruby just wanted to die.

"I…I…" Blake stuttered out as Ruby turned to her, trying to explain the situation. However, this failed as Blake's face reddened even further. Ruby was confused until she realized that she hadn't gotten around to actually wiping her face. "I'm sorry for interrupting!"

"I can explain!" Ruby shouted desperately only to find her self speaking to a disappearing clone. She had an idea of what was going through Blake's mind, something similar to what happened on chapter eight of _Ninjas of Love._ "No!"

…

…

…

"Well then." Jaune said after a moment while Pyrrha frowned a bit.

"Ruby, you know it's impolite to assault others in their sleep." Pyrrha chided with a firm expression as Jaune just face-palmed as he realized that Pyrrha still had no idea she had just been drooled on. Pyrrha had no idea what she had woken up to, but it was giving her flashbacks of the previous evening. At that moment Ruby did the only thing expected of her in that situation.

Her eyes filled with embarrassed tears, she left them on the couch with their laps filled with rose petals.

 **-Two Days later-**

"Well, safe to say, we sat on our asses long enough." Jaune said as he got their attention. "Time to start cleaning up the streets a bit, get that battleground that will soon be Vale play more into our favor."

"Agreed." Glynda said before placing a file on her desk. "This is one of the White Fang's warehouses. According to our new allies, Torchwick is holding a rally with the White Fang there. He does it after major heists as a way to show that the "humans" are doing their part in the upcoming invasion."

"He's keeping them in line. As long as he yields results, they have no reason to stop following his orders." Jaune said making Pyrrha scoff. The Knights turned to face their newest recruit whom was leaning against a wall, her arms crossed with a sneer on her face.

"What about their own principals and ideals? Have they no pride?"

"Now, Pyrrha, don't be the pot calling a kettle black. We are the ones who recently allied with criminals at the moment." Jaune said patiently making Pyrrha grimace. "This is a war where the victor shapes the future of the very world. Every participant has their own ideals and we are not free from sin." Jaune said matter-of-factly.

"Well said, Jaune." Glynda praised raising an eyebrow at the man. "That was almost Ren-like."

"Close." Ren admitted, smirking at how Jaune rolled his eyes. "Speaking of our allies, so Junior and his men fell in line?"

"I had to do a…follow up the next evening. Decided to get it out of the way so I have more time this weekend for my own mission." Glynda said making a chill go down the spine of the three veteran Knights. "They understand their place now. You all did an excellent job. Which makes me wonder why I never received a mission report?"

"Reasons." Pyrrha deadpanned, her expression firm as Glynda simply raised an eye-brow at the champion. Rather than reprimanding Pyrrha for her attitude, she just grew even more curious. Glancing at Jaune she was surprised to find his expression mirroring Pyrrha's.

"Reasons." Jaune repeated making her and Nora turn to Ren. The poor ninja shuddered at the killing intent pouring off of Jaune and Pyrrha and quickly cleared his throat.

"Reasons." Ren said making Glynda frown before shrugging.

"Doesn't matter, you got it done." Glynda said after a moment. "Back to the topic at hand. We need to crush them and this meeting."

"Say no more, send me." Pyrrha said as she pushed herself off of the wall. "I'll crush them myself."

"…"

"Seriously what the hell happened on that mission?" Nora asked as she looked at the men in confusion.

"You all owe me money and an apology, that's what. That said we'll worry about that later." Jaune said before shaking his head. "You can't be sent."

"Why not?"

"Because you play an important part in the overall plan, later down the road. Besides, you won't get any satisfaction from them. Trust me. It'll just make your itch worse." Jaune said making Pyrrha wince at the idea. "Big picture, we send Ren. He'll get us footage of the White Fang working with Roman. Working with a human? That will discredit them amongst their kind quickly. Or at the very least make their current leader and the Belladonnas wary."

"Belladonna…Blake?" Pyrrha asked making him nod.

"She's pretty much royalty amongst the Faunus, her parents are sensible. We need to open up communications between them and the current leader of the White Fang. A man named Adam Taurus is planning a coup, we stop it early enough we save ourselves a lot of trouble later." Jaune explained. "This should also be enough to shock Blake into action."

"She lacks the resolve and substance necessary to begin down this path." Ren said making Jaune narrow his eyes. "She's not ready."

"Then get her ready, Ren." Jaune ordered. "Listen to me, all of you." Jaune said pointedly. "We don't have time to hold their hands. Need I remind you that's what got us in this problem in the first place?" Jaune asked and their silence was his answer. "Yang is coming along exceptionally well as is Ruby. Nora, Glynda, you've done an amazing job." Jaune said before turning to Pyrrha and Ren. "Quit dragging your feet and get your students ready."

"Weiss isn't that simple. I've tried, numerous times, but she follows her schedule like its law. Not only that but she's too prideful to ask for help even when I offered first!"

"Then shatter that pride Nikos!" Jaune snapped making her eyes widen. "Show her the truth." Jaune said before releasing a long breath, his expression softening. "You all need to understand, we can't hesitate anymore. Our grace period is closing. Our Empire failed because we failed to recognize a fatal flaw, a flaw that can only be remedied if all of team RWBY are ready. We put everything on Ruby's shoulders last time, we nearly broke her as we selfishly placed the hope of the world on her shoulders and her shoulders alone. This Ruby will ascend, but we need to diffuse that hope, lessen the pressure. She can't be the sole symbol this time. She cannot fall again, not by our weaknesses, Salem's strength, or Ruby's own sense of responsibility. I don't know about you all, but I'm not doing this shit a third time."

"Is that why you all came back? She was the only thing making your Empire work so you left because you knew it'd fall without her?" Pyrrha asked suddenly getting their attention, her expression was firm as she spoke. "You know it always bugged me, I know you all loved the Empress but she died with Salem. Your time-line was saved in the very end, so why did you forsake it?"

"There wasn't a world left to forsake." Jaune said making Glynda frown.

"Jaune–"

"No, she needs to know. She's ready now, besides don't look at me as if I'm spilling some grand secret, who knows what you've kept from me." Jaune muttered making Glynda purse her lips though she said nothing. "Salem's power is corruption, Pyrrha, seeds of darkness she places in the hearts of people. It's like a virus built from hate, and it spreads and lives independently of her own existence. Killing her isn't enough. The only way to fight it is with the Empress' Light. That feeling of clarity you suddenly got when you ascended? That was Salem being flushed out of you."

"What?" Pyrrha asked, her eyes wide as Jaune nodded.

"This world? Every man woman and child has been afflicted by her power in some way. It's why it is so easy for her to divide us, to rip us a part. She can corrupt civilians, make the hate in their hearts fester." Jaune said as his gaze hardened. "So, don't you dare ask me why we gave up on our world. We didn't. We just chose to give yours a fighting chance." Jaune said as he clenched his fists. "I would have gladly stayed back, give the Empress the funeral she deserved at the very lest but she had other plans, one last wish, one last order. Save you."

"Jaune, calm down. She didn't know and you know that." Nora said making him close his eyes as he gathered his thoughts.

"You all need to understand, if it seems like I'm lashing out on you all I'm sorry. We're all under stress, but I'm your leader. I need to plan each move carefully, you all are all I have left." Jaune revealed, his expression softening. "Every order I give you is a gamble that could cost me everything. You all have to put faith in me, but what's worse is that I have to continue to put faith in myself after so many failures."

"Jaune–" Nora stopped when he raised a hand.

"For the first time, I truly feel the full weight of Ru– of the Empress' responsibility and its weight is crushing. We cannot let her go through this again." Jaune said before glancing at Glynda. "Now, moving on, I say we send Ren to deal with the rally but you seem to have a different idea."

"Your plan is sound but I propose we send Nora." Glynda said confusing Ren, Pyrrha, and hell, even Nora herself at the idea of going on a covert mission.

Jaune, however, wasn't confused in the slightest.

"Her armor finished first?" Jaune asked knowingly making Nora's eyes light up suddenly as she turned to the captain. Glynda just nodded making him sigh as Nora practically began bouncing in her seat. "Change of plans then, Nora, go give your armor a test drive and try not to blow up the neighborhood. I had my suspicions on why you had us look for more space, Glynda, now I see why." Jaune said making Glynda nod. "Brief Nora on the mission details, everyone else dismissed." Jaune said as he made his way to the door with Pyrrha and Ren, both of which was given a lot to think about.

 **-The Next Day: Glynda's class-**

The day had come.

The day for Ruby to test out her training.

Fortunately, after a few minutes of sparring with Jaune one night, Glynda told him he was no longer needed for the rest of the week for some reason. Though it sounded bad, Ruby was thankful. Avoiding him and Pyrrha like the plague and trying to explain things to Blake who just kept saying that her secret was safe her with her nearly drove Ruby insane.

Still…

…she made it…

…somehow.

As she sat in her seat in the classroom, JNPR minus Nora were present talking to each other while she conversed with her own team, preparing herself mentally for her test.

"Hey, where's Nora?" Yang called out suddenly to their sister team.

"She wasn't feeling well, so she had to sit today out. Ate too many sweets." Jaune answered making Yang chuckle a bit at the thought.

"Want me to get her some warm milk and cat posters?" Yang asked curiously, making him blink owlishly.

"Uh…I think she'll be alright, just has to sleep it off." Jaune said making her nod. However, before Yang could say anything else, Glynda got the class' attention as she began to go over who would be facing off today.

"In today's lesson we will be looking into how to deal with opponents with high speed and mobility. For this lesson I want you to take notes on any flaws and ideas you may have when dealing with such opponents with your own particular skill set." Glynda said as names of the fastest students began alternating on the "Random" match generator.

 **Blake Belladonna**

"Oh, looks like you're up, Blakey." Yang said as she nudged Blake with a wink. "Go kick their ass." Yang said, making Blake roll her eyes as she stood up.

 **Ruby Rose**

"Gee, thanks, sis." Ruby commented dryly, though her heart obviously wasn't in it as she stood up.

"Whoops, nevermind, kick her ass Rubes!" Yang declared, making Blake raise an eyebrow at her.

"Nice…" Blake trailed off, making Yang shrug.

"Sorry, blood is thicker than water, you know how it goes." Yang pointed out, making Blake shake her head before turning to Ruby.

"Good luck." Blake said, making Ruby nod.

"You too." Ruby said, as they made their way down to the arena, the class cheering for whoever they wanted to win.

"Get her Ruby!" Yang cheered once more before frowning. "Still, I can't help but feel a little torn though even if I am rooting for Ruby. What about you all, who do you think is going to win?"

"Ruby." Ren said nearly immediately, knowing that even though Ruby couldn't hear them that Blake could even with that bow covering her ears. This surprised both Yang and Weiss as the ninja rarely gave his input. "Blake lacks the resolve necessary to win this fight. She and Ruby are similar enough combatants so it ultimately comes down to a test of will. Ruby has that in excess. That said this is just my observation, you all know them better than I do."

"I'm going to have to give it to crater-face." Jaune said as he nodded his head. "Ruby has been working hard from what I see. She'll definitely win this."

"I'll admit the two of them are of similar skill as their ranking suggests. That said, you don't honestly think Ruby can beat someone as nimble and skilled as Blake, do you?" Weiss asked with a frown. "Ruby's my partner and though I'm proud of her taking initiative with her studies, it hasn't been nearly enough time for her to benefit from them. Blake still has two years of experience on Ruby and Ruby can't fight effectively without her weapon." Weiss said before turning to Pyrrha who hadn't given her input. "What do you think, Pyrrha?"

"That two years doesn't mean a thing at _your_ skill level." Pyrrha said, almost boredly. "Something that's obvious by that sad excuse of an observation."

"Whoa there! Reign in the claws! What was that? You two fighting or something?" Yang asked, caught off guard by the perceived hostility from Pyrrha. Weiss looked a mix between confused and offended and hell, even Jaune and Ren looked at their teammate in surprise.

Though after recent events, they weren't sure why they were surprised.

Pyrrha was finally speaking what was truly on her mind rather than hiding it behind a fake smile.

"Excuse me!?"

"Do I need to repeat myself? I was under the impression you Schnees were a step ahead of the rest. Thanks for reminding me of the issue with assumptions." Pyrrha stated before sighing as she stretched her arms. "Ruby will win, one look at Ruby's eyes will tell you that. This won't even be fun to watch." Pyrrha added before standing up. "I'm going to the restroom, this will be over before I get back."

"Do you have a problem with me?" Weiss asked with a frown, confused as to where she had apparently gone wrong with Pyrrha.

"Yang, what rank are you again?" Pyrrha asked, making the brawler frown in confusion.

"Uh, five?" Yang answered, making Pyrrha nod before she jerked a thumb over at Yang.

"You need to be there before I take you seriously enough to have a problem with you." Pyrrha said bluntly as Weiss felt her jaw go slack as Yang looked at Pyrrha in surprise. Hell, even a few of the surrounding students said quiet "oh"s at that, many of them wincing.

What was worse was that there was no hostility at all in Pyrrha's voice.

It was as if she were just speaking facts.

Never in her life had Weiss met someone aside from her father who could look at her as if she didn't matter.

Which made her once more wonder what she had done to apparently piss off Pyrrha.

Literally the only huntress she actively tried to be _nice_ to.

"I'll be back." Pyrrha said before leaving, not even bothering to ask for Glynda's permission. Something that made a lot of people turn to their teacher cautiously. Glynda just blinked at the sudden attention on her, looking legitimately confused for once.

"You're all adults using dangerous weapons to fight monsters, did you all really think you need my permission to go to the damn bathroom?" Glynda asked curiously. Unknown to many, one of the only things that ever confused Glynda as a teacher was her students asking her for permission to go to the bathroom. She thought it was some part of a sick trend, or an annoying prank or something.

Because honestly the last thing she needed was an adult letting her know about their private needs.

What was she going to do?

Say no?

That's a lawsuit waiting to happen.

Not that she cared.

"We need a critical thinking class, I see." Glynda said dryly, as Jaune fought the urge to laugh. "Laugh and you'll end up teaching it, Mr. Arc."

That made Jaune stop.

Teaching in a school was a special kind of hell he didn't want any parts of.

Though he'd admit Professor Arc had a nice ring to it.

"Now, positions you two." Glynda said as Blake and Ruby stood off in the arena. "Like always, if the victor of this match is of a lower rank they will claim their opponent's rank for themselves. If the opposite is true, then, well, the fact you maintained your place is reward enough. Still, try to aim for the top four positions later." Glynda explained as Ruby and Blake eyed each other.

 **BGM: Birth of a Wish- NieR Automata OST**

Though Blake didn't care about the ranking system, and honestly thought she was most likely going to win– after all, though Ruby was skilled, she hadn't seen and done the things that Blake had– she was still slightly miffed that the only one of her "friends" that rooted for her was Weiss.

An irony which was not lost on the Faunus.

Especially when Ren's words irritated her, the man himself said he didn't know her so where did he get off saying she lacked resolve?

They had no idea just how much resolve she had.

Hearing Ruby's weapon shift brought her back to where she was and made her shake her head to clear it of her thoughts. As she unsheathed her weapon, she felt herself repressing a chill. She had never been on the opposite side of Ruby in a fight, even when they trained she was with Yang or Weiss when it came to sparring.

What she saw…

…legitimately scared her.

Gone was the happy-go-lucky girl she had come to know as her team leader, and instead in her place was a huntress that was prepared for combat. Her face expressionless as her silver eyes seemed to peer into Blake's very soul. The way Ruby was now reminded Blake of someone she'd rather forget. Blake actually took a step back as Ruby's rose emblem seemed to shift and transform into one of a much crueler design.

A familiar design.

"What's the matter, Blake?" Ruby asked though it wasn't her voice she heard. No, it was _his._ Blake's eyes were wide as Ruby was suddenly replaced by Adam whom charged towards her, his hand on the hilt of his blade. Blake went to raised her weapon to defend herself.

 _ ***Bang!***_

 _ ***Clang***_

Adam's blade knocked her weapon away from her hand before he raised his blade high to attack her. At that moment, Adam vanished only to be replaced by Ruby who held Crescent Rose high into the air.

 _ ***BANG!***_

"Gah!" Blake grunted as Ruby landed a visceral slash on Blake who was sent flying back from the force of the attack, her Aura hit heavily from the clean blow. Ruby suddenly jumped back and landed in a crouch before blasting towards Blake, making full use of her Semblance. Ruby went for a powerful cleave only for Blake to replace her self with a clone which was cut in half. Blake dove for her weapon as she expected Ruby to slam into the wall.

Unfortunately for the Faunus that's not what happened.

Not losing any speed or momentum, Ruby simply turned around and ran towards her, Crescent Rose ready to strike. Blake was forced to switch with another clone to evade Ruby's attack before quickly grabbing her weapon from the ground. Doing a roll, Blake shifted her weapon into its hand gun form and began to fire rapidly at Ruby, only for her leader to avoid each attack with fast but slight movements of her body.

"What the hell!? Since when could she control her speed like that!?" Yang asked looking confused, proud, but confused. Jaune was himself looked surprised but frowned when he noticed something.

"Her eyes." Jaune said with a frown making Yang and Weiss look at him in confusion before turning back to the fight. It was then they saw it, it was faint, but the red glow of Ruby's aura could be seen in front of her face which was odd because Ruby' herself hadn't been hit once.

"She's hardening the aura in front of her face." Weiss realized with wide eyes.

"But why? Blake isn't even shooting at her face?" Yang asked making Weiss sigh.

"No, you dunce, she's using it like a visor or a pair of goggles. Like your glasses when you ride your bike. She's protecting her eyes so that she can see." Weiss explained as Yang finally caught on, looking at her sister in amazement as she realized what all the research on Aura manipulation was for. "Aura protects the body but you can still feel wind, by concentrating her aura it doesn't irritate her eyes. It's simple but effective. With her eyes open…"

"...She can use her speed how she wants." Yang whispered, a small chill running down her spine at the thought of a Ruby who control her speed. Now she was a bit scared.

…proud…

…but scared.

"It's still not perfect." Yet. Jaune left unsaid, as he watched Ruby's Aura level deplete 1% every few seconds. The concentration mastery needed to keep Ruby's "visor" up was staggering and she'd exhaust herself soon. Still, he was definitely impressed and against his current opponent she'd win long before it became an issue if the fight kept going on like it was.

 _ ***SHING!***_

*SHING!*

*SHING!*

Crescent Rose cut threw clone after clone quickly as Blake found herself being backed into a wall. At least, that's what Blake wanted Ruby to think. With one well timed clone, Blake could trick Ruby into lodging her scythe into the wall. IF she could separate Ruby from Crescent Rose, she'd win.

" _Now!"_ Blake thought as Ruby went for an overhead swing, as Blake made a clone while time itself seemed to slow down for the combatants. Blake's appearance distorted a bit as she formed her clone and moved to the side. However, as she did this, she failed to notice Crescent Rose begin to shift. Once Blake fully separated from her clone, she turned to face Ruby only to find the barrel of Crescent Rose buried onto her face. Ruby herself was still facing the wall as she held her weapon out to the side.

 _ ***BANG!***_

"AH!" Blake shouted as she felt herself slamming down onto her back. Still, that wasn't enough to keep her down as she quickly rolled to her feet and shifted her weapon into its kusarigama form before she swung it at Ruby. However, before weapon connected, to her and everyone's surprise, Ruby exploded into countless rose petals. Three groups of them split up as they flew towards Blake, surrounding her from every direction.

"That's new." Yang said, looking at the fight incredulously along with Weiss.

" _What? Where is she–"_ Blake stopped as all three groups slammed into her, sending her crashing backwards into the arena wall as Ruby reformed from the group of petals. Blake went to move, only to find Ruby already there before her, Crescent Rose held tightly in her hands as it was once more in its scythe form. Suddenly, its blade bent backwards, turning it into a make-shift spear before Ruby stabbed forward.

Not once.

Not twice.

No.

The class watched in shock as Ruby stabbed with the weapon multiple times at speeds so fast it made Ruby appear as though she had multiple weapons and multiple arms. Blake was unable to do anything as Ruby's onslaught pinned her to the wall.

Blakes greatest asset in battle was her ability to escape and disorientate her opponents.

That said.

Ruby could move and react far faster than she could make her clones. The current Ruby was without a doubt the worst matchup Blake could have had at that moment.

 _ ***SHCTICK!***_

 _ ***CRASH!***_

Crescent Rose's blade stabbed into the wall next to Blakes head as the Faunus' aura shattered from the previous onslaught. In a way it had appeared as though Blake's aura had to catch up to the fact that the battle was over. True Glynda had the rule that the loss of Aura didn't mean the end of the battle, but Blake couldn't do anything in her current state. She knew it. Ruby knew it. The Class knew it. And Glynda knew it as she called for an end to the battle.

"Match over, Ruby Rose is the winner and is now Rank seven." Glynda said and the class watched as Ruby and Blake's names switched placed. Weiss felt a chill go down her spine as she saw Ruby right beneath her in the rankings.

 **BGM: END**

"Good match, Blake!" Ruby said as if a switch had been flipped, turning her from the cold an efficient huntress and back into the happy-go-lucky girl Blake knew. Blake had to stop herself from gaping at the emotional whiplash that Ruby caused as said huntress simply placed Crescent Rose on her back. Blake could do nothing but nod mutely as Ruby helped her out of the arena.

"What the _hell?"_ Yang asked no one in particular. She was happy for her sister but that didn't match the confusion she felt. She knew Ruby for fifteen years and had never once seen her fight like that. Ruby didn't hesitate in any of her attacks, her skills had surpassed anything she had seen from Ruby until today.

It was almost as if she were possessed.

Jaune was in a similar state of mind, though he had his suspicions about what exactly had "possessed" Ruby. He had seen those moves and tactics far too many times, committed them all to memory, and even taught the current Ruby some of them.

That said many of those moves Ruby used, he hadn't taught her nor could Ruby pick them up in the few days since he had seen her.

No.

Sharing and glance with Ren, they both could see that they had the same thought. Their Empress was clearly not as gone as they previously thought. The nonplussed look on Glynda's face told them that the advisor apparently knew this as well. Jaune grit his teeth as he leveled a gaze upon Glynda that could have frozen hell itself.

A similar expression could be seen on Ren's face.

Not much could affect Glynda, but even she couldn't stop the awkward clearing of her throat she had to do in order to distract her from the looks the Knights sent her.

She had explaining to do.

Of that she was positive.

She just hoped they didn't kill her before she could get through everything. Fortunately for her, the Knights schooled their expressions once Ruby and Blake rejoined them.

"You weren't ready." Ren said quietly making Blake's eyes widen in alarm. It was said so quietly not even Jaune would have heard him, but Blake was no fool. Ren wasn't talking to himself, somehow, he knew she'd hear him. This suspicion was proven true when she glanced at him only to find a single magenta eye peering right back at her, making her shudder.

Ren knew something about her.

The question was how much.

She'd get to the bottom of this after class.

"W-we have time for one more match." Glynda said, cursing mentally for the slight stutter in her voice. However, before she could continue, the sound of a chair being hastily pushed back got her attention.

"I want to challenge my ranking!" Weiss said hastily, and it was clear to Glynda that the previous fight had shaken Weiss to her core. Being so close to Ruby in rankings had definitely startled Weiss, forcing the heiress to make the knee jerk reaction of trying to put as much distance between her and her partner as possible.

"I…see…you realize that at your rank you may be placed against either Yang or anyone from Team JNPR correct?" Glynda said, as if trying to give Weiss an out for the situation she found herself in. Yang who was animatedly congratulating her now blushing sister, froze mid-sentence.

"I swear to God if it's me, Weiss…" Yang trailed off her eyes flickering between lilac and red ever so slightly. "…I wanted to take things easy today…" Yang muttered, having just gotten used to her knew power.

Not to mention Nora wasn't even there.

" _Wait, why does that matter?"_ Yang wondered with a frown.

"I understand." Weiss said firmly, ignoring the irritated and confused expressions on Yang and Ruby's faces. Blake was just silently as she found herself lost in her own thoughts.

"So be it." Glynda said as Weiss' name appeared on the board.

 **Weiss Schnee**

"Called it." Pyrrha said as she re-entered the room and made her way towards her team. "What did I miss?"

 **Pyrrha Nikos**

It was at that moment Weiss Schnee knew…

…she _fucked up._

A slow and dark smirk appeared on Pyrrha's face as she saw the match up. A silence echoing throughout the class room while Jaune once more called bullshit on the "randomizer". It was then Pyrrha said something to Weiss, that nobody but Jaune and Ren ever expected to come from the "polite" and "humble" champion.

"I'm going to break you."

The and enjoying doing it too part was left unsaid.

But they all knew.

 **To be continued…**

 **For Christmas you all get cliffhangers. :'D Happy Holidays!**

 **Next Time: Weiss vs. Pyrrha-A battle of Pride & A Dinner Date with Qrow!?**

 **P.S. Yes that was a mother fucking Professor Arc reference, love that story.**

 **Will: Professor Arc (written by Coeur Al' Aran) is definitely a great story to love. In fact, as a member of his forum and a follower of his works, I recommend reading all of them. Now if you'll excuse me Lord Rebuke, I'm gonna start writing some stuff of my own while I wait for that inevitable Twilight one-shot of yours…Hellsing Abridged, please save me from that horror of a book series.**

 **Oh don't worry I got something planned for these bastards that made me do this. Rebuff left a loophole in our bet I plan to exploit.**

 **Rebuff: I left a who in the what now?**

 **Don't worry about it Buffy, don't you fucking worry about it.**

 _ **Omake: Worst Nightmare-**_

 _ **BGM: Cookie Jar- Gym Class Heroes**_

" _Cookies!"_

" _Strawberries!"_

" _Cookies!"_

" _Strawberries!"_

 _Ruby blinked owlishly as she found herself in the middle of a heated debate between Jaune and Pyrrha, both arguing over which food was better. Ruby didn't know what to say, so she just stood silently between them, a chocolate chip cookie resting in her mouth._

" _Clearly cookies are the superior food." Jaune said before gesturing towards Ruby. "Even she agrees!" Jaune said as if that settled everything. Ruby just looked up at him in surprise, not expecting to be thrown into the middle of this._

" _That's not fair!"_

" _But it's true, we all know Ruby has great tastes." Jaune said before leaning over towards Ruby, opening his mouth and taking a bite out of the cookie in her mouth. Ruby froze in place as his lips brushed hers before he stepped back with a satisfied smile. "Chocolate chip, I knew you had great tastes." The rest of the cookie fell from Ruby's mouth as her jaw went slack._

" _Wha-wha-wha-" Ruby stuttered out, her face reddening as her brain found itself doing a hard reset._

 _ ***slam***_

 _The door to the fridge closed as Pyrrha suddenly approached them, an impish smile on her face._

" _I'm not saying cookies aren't good. However, strawberries are more versatile and more…fun." Pyrrha said as she approached them with a can of whip cream. "With a little bit of cream, the possibilities are endless."_

" _B-but we don't have any strawberries…" Ruby said nervously as she found herself backed into a wall by the powerful huntress._

" _Aw that's too bad." Pyrrha said as she lifted Ruby's chin up with her finger. Pyrrha leaned forward and breathe din the air around Ruby, smirking as she smelt the scent of strawberries. "Guess you'll have to do." Pyrrha said as Jaune smirked behind her._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Good spar." A shirtless Jaune said as he grinned at Ruby, his towel resting around his shoulders. Ruby nodded and praised him as well while doing her best to not look at him. It was weird, she never had a problem looking at him before so what changed? Wrapping an arm around Ruby he brought her in for a quick hug. "You're getting better."_

" _T-th-thank you?" Ruby said, her eyes wide as she found herself pressed against him. It was then she felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her mid-section and pull her backwards. She felt something large and soft press against her shoulders as she found herself held in an embrace by Pyrrha. Like Jaune, she too was in her training gear which consisted of a pair of black shorts and a matching sports bra._

" _You're being too rough, Jaune." Pyrrha chided, with an affectionate smile. "You need to have a…softer…" Pyrrha trailed of as Ruby felt Pyrrha's chest press into her more. "…touch."_

" _What? Nah, Rubes can take it can't you?" Jaune asked Ruby with a smirk. "Hard or soft, what do you prefer?"_

 _The squeak Ruby released couldn't even be considered a response._

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Ruby felt like crying as she found herself at the school dance with Jaune and Pyrrha, both wearing the clothes they took to the club. Not because she was nervous, or because of the fact she found herself dancing with both Jaune and Pyrrha. No, it was the fact that this was a completely romantic scenario with both partners whispering sweet nothings into her ear when they brought her close._

 _Unlike the previous scenarios which ended in ways she'd never tell anyone, this one was purely romantic. Jaune and Pyrrha were fierce rivals in the eyes of the students, but there was no competition at the moment._

 _Just balance._

 _And she loved it._

 _She loved…_

… _ **them.**_

 **-RWBY Dorm-**

Ruby's eyes snapped open as she sat up with a gasp, her heart beating loudly as she found herself shaken awake. Looking around the room she could see that it was still early, Weiss and Yang still sound asleep. She frowned in confusion as she found herself looking at a blushing Blake.

"You…uh…talk in your sleep." Blake said quietly making Ruby pale.

It was official.

She wanted to die.

"Just, uh, be careful alright?" Blake said with a concerned frown, surprising Ruby as she and Blake had yet to truly connect as teammates she felt. "She's my partner but I won't tell Yang as long as you're being safe." Blake said as if trying to reassure Ruby who now appeared mortified.

She wanted to tell Blake that there was nothing to even be safe about.

But Blake wasn't listening, she could tell her teammate wouldn't believe her.

"As a fellow fan of N.O.L. I'm rooting for you." Blake said, as if trying to reassure the shell-shocked Ruby. It was then Blake grimaced, her face reddening even more than Ruby thought possible from her stoic teammate. "Just…before you go back to sleep…take a shower and do your _laundry_ please."

It was then Ruby realized.

Dying wouldn't be enough.

Today was the day she'd have to end Blake.

As if sensing Ruby was about to do something desperate, Blake slowly backed up with a nervous chuckle.

"I'm…going to go for a walk." Blake said before escaping with her Semblance leaving a paralyzed Ruby behind with only one thought in her mind.

" _Of ALL the nightmares…this is the one I remember!?"_

 _ **-BGM: END**_

 _ **-Omake END-**_

 **Reviews:**

 **Crimson Reiter: Lol glad you liked the story! Lol you do have to feel bad for them.**

 **Xyz: Lmao glad you liked the chapter and yeah it seems Glynda has some explaining to do after this, she will not be let off easily. More about Ruby's situation will be explored later but here's a taste of what's to come!**

 **MoonShadowPup: Stories just get lost in the updates in the archives, I know your feeling all too well XD**

 **Dopplerdee: Glad you like it Dee!**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: It's always the quiet/nice once, always.**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Lol the horror. If I decide to do lemons in this, I'd prefer the first one to be under better circumstances lol XD Not that having sex with twins to overthrow a criminal organization isn't epic.**

 **Lloyd RPGFan: Yeah, I think this added a much needed layer to her character since this times she's going to be in for the long run she needs a bit more substance as a character than the perfect huntress created to die.**

 **Lobo Loco10: Lol I did? Cool! As you can hopefully tell from this chapter, the beginning of Blake's arc is starting along with Weiss'. Remember them as they are now, because by the time the Vytal tournament hits they are going to evolve.**

 **Bankerrtx01: Lol nice quote lol I have an odd circle of people helping me XD and yeah that was sad. Glad you are liking the story so far.**

 **TheNeah: Lol yeah that chapter was definitely a crazy one, definitely a way to kick start them making important moves from now on. Don't remind me of the sparkles please DX.**

 **EdwardGrave: I appreciate your input and opinion, glad to see you felt comfortable enough to tell me your thoughts. That said, you're in the minority on this one my friend so I'm going to have to keep things like they are. Take Spidey's LIAG for example, people hated the fun facts, but a lot more liked them so they stayed. -shrugs- not much I can do. Thanks for the review!**

 **Saint Danielle: We already had a kickass conversation so I'm just going to say thanks for the review and criticism!**

 **Garoorar: Yay!**

 **Littlest1: Well as you can tell, they are not very impressed with a certain member in their group right now lol. Glad you liked the chapter and yeah, being Empress has its perks like days where every one gives you your favorite food lol.**

 **Dandyrr0403: Something like that, more will be explained in the aftermath. Thanks for the review!**

 **EmperorCookies: I see all.**

 **AJ Lexie: Lol honestly, we say cock-blocked for everything too, I just heard that once and it stuck with me lmao. Lol glad you liked the chapter and its fine we all misread things sometimes! Happy holidays, Lex!**

 **FateBurn: Lol glad you liked it! Thanks for the review!**

 **The Wolf Paladin: She was. Very. Drunk. Lol the story is writing itself at this point, whatever ship happens now happens XD. Glad you liked the update and yeah that's an accurate description of their relationship.**

 **Read and Review and stay classy,**

 **~RebukeX7**


	10. Invincible

**Disclaimer: Guess what I own? Not RWBY**

 **Early for X-mas, late for New Years...sounds about right lmao. Also we broke 100K WOOHOOO...god damn I've written too much on this site, I need a hobby lmao.**

 **BETAED BY: The-nope- BETAED by Will of Wisp?**

 **Rebuff: He's changing names on us, dock his pay!**

 **I…I don't pay him…**

 **Rebuff:…Oh…**

…

…

…

 **On to the chapter!**

 **Featured BGMs:**

 _ **Satsuki's Theme-Kill la Kill OST**_

 _ **Snow in Summer- NieR OST**_

 _ **Will Power-Persona 5 OST**_

 _ **Heartful Cry- Persona 3 OST**_

 _ **Erza's Theme-Fairy Tail OST**_

 _ **Sexyback-Justin Timberlake**_

 **Chapter 10: Invincible**

 **(Alt. Title: Maximum Effort)**

 **-Glynda's Classroom-**

Weiss and Pyrrha stood opposite of each other in the arena. Weiss stood in her battle stance, Myrtenaster aimed directly at Pyrrha. Weiss bit her lip, her eyes betraying the nervousness she felt as Pyrrha simply stood tall, her arms crossed as she didn't even bother to draw her weapons.

"Aren't you going to draw your weapon?" Weiss asked, making Pyrrha scoff.

"You're not worth it." Pyrrha said bluntly, making Weiss frown, her grip on her weapon tightening.

"So…who do you thinks going to win?" Yang asked, though oddly enough, it sounded more like a formality than anything. She had nothing but team pride but even she knew Weiss stood no chance. Unlike the rest of Team RWBY, she spent enough time with Nora to fully appreciate the monsters that made up Team JNPR.

Nora was only rank three however.

Yang shuddered at the thought of Pyrrha.

Still, Ren decided to humor her any way it seemed.

"Obviously Pyrrha, especially since Weiss lacks resolve." Ren declared bluntly, making Yang and Ruby look at him as Blake clenched her fists.

"Is that your go to response now?" Yang asked, making Ren smile a bit.

"No. Just an observation." Ren said and though it was petty, Blake found some solace in the fact that Weiss had the same "issue" that she did. "That said." Ren continued, his smile dropping a bit. "Weiss has an untapped potential that I'm guessing Pyrrha wants her to realize. Weiss lacks resolve, but she will find it before the match is over if Pyrrha has anything to say about it."

"What makes her so special?" Blake asked, and despite her best efforts she couldn't hide the slight bitterness in her tone that made Ruby and Yang look at their teammate in surprise.

"She lacks resolve, but she has substance. Albeit, barely." Ren said politely. "Pride is an often-debated topic amongst huntsmen. Many see it as a liability, few as an asset. I see it as neither good nor bad. It is simply a catalyst, a catalyst for change. What kind of change depends on the person and the situation." Ren said wisely.

"Well said." Jaune said before leaning back in his seat, his arms behind his head. "Pyrrha's going to win. She's not allowed to lose to anyone but me."

"So, you two are going with P-money?" Yang asked before shrugging. "She's hard to deal with but she's still my teammate, I'll root for the underdog this time. What about you two?"

"I'll be a realist and say Pyrrha will win." Blake said dryly, deciding to humor Yang. It was at this point that both expected Ruby to jump up and cheer for Weiss. However, when that cheer never came they turned to see Ruby who looked incredibly conflicted.

Weiss was her teammate.

Her one-sided friend.

Her partner…

But.

If she were being completely honest with herself?

She liked Pyrrha more.

She tried her best to get along with Weiss but besides the occasional moment of kindness she found Weiss to be as unbearable as Weiss probably felt her to be. At this point in the semester she had hoped her team would get along like Team JNPR and so many others like Team CFVY in the second year. However, though she, Yang, and Blake got along at the very least…Weiss found and started most of the problems with her attitude.

"Ruby." Jaune said suddenly, snapping her from her thoughts as she looked up at him with a troubled expression. "Root for who you want to win. It's that simple. Overthinking it? It'll just cause more problems in the end." Jaune said with a reassuring smile. It was then that he gave her a wink. "Cheer for our girl." A moment passed as Ruby processed his words before nodding to herself, her hands placed firmly on her desk before she raised her fist with a grin.

Jaune was right.

Besides, Weiss could really use being humbled a bit.

"Kick her butt Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted, months of frustration fueling her, suprising Yang as Weiss looked back up at her. Ruby's partner looked more than a little offended. This only worsened when Blake gave Pyrrha a half-assed cheer as well. Though Weiss was confused, Yang was even more so about her sister's "change of heart". Yang noted suspiciously that Blake didn't seem as surprised about her sister rooting for the "enemy" as she should have been.

Yeah…

…something was going on that Yang would have to get to the bottom of later.

"Hey!" Weiss shouted as Pyrrha simply gave Ruby a thumbs-up. Jaune just shook his head before thinking back to an earlier conversation with Pyrrha.

 _ ***Flashback***_

" _Should I be concerned with how easy you talk about breaking people?" Jaune asked curiously as they stood on the roof._

" _Not really? I mean it isn't hard." Pyrrha said making him raise a skeptical eyebrow. "All you have to do is break them down, get it into their head they are nothing. Only once that is accomplished do you show them praise, let them feel a fleeting moment of power. However, you have to make sure that you are the sole reason for that moment. This creates a dependency to you that will keep them coming back no matter how much they get hurt. After this is done, you give them the warmth they were deprived of and there you go."_

…

…

…

" _It pisses me off that what you just said gave me déjà vu." Jaune said as he narrowed his eyes at her only for her to smile cheekily. "Did your counter-part try to break me?"_

" _Who knows~" Pyrrha mused, a thoughtful expression on her face as Jaune felt his eye twitch._

 _ ***Flashback: END***_

"You know it's telling when your team leader and partner, and half your team don't even root for you." Pyrrha mused. "We both know Yang is doing it out of pity." Pyrrha added making Weiss grit her teeth. "Forfeit and use this time to take a good look at your life."

"What did I ever do to you!?" Weiss asked, fed up with Pyrrha's attitude.

"Grace me with your presence." Pyrrha said dryly. "I want you to think back to our first meeting, and I want you to see exactly where you went wrong."

"All I did was try to be your friend!"

"You tried to be my partner." Pyrrha corrected, a sneer forming on her face. "You dared, even for a moment, to think someone as weak as you were even close to my level. Do you even fathom how much of an insult it is to be compared to someone like you?" Pyrrha asked making Weiss look at her in shock. "You can't even comprehend how outclassed you are."

What was worse is that these were Pyrrha's thoughts long before she ascended.

She was positive that her counterpart could have destroyed Weiss in a match and she'd show the heiress how soon enough.

"Pyrrha…you're skilled…but do you _honestly_ think you're _that_ much better?" Weiss asked incredulously. "Me beating you at least once isn't that impossible."

"Bitch, you can't even beat Yang." Pyrrha deadpanned.

"Hey!"

"No offense!" Pyrrha called out to Yang, looking a bit apologetic. "I'm sorry!" Pyrrha said, making Yang pout. Shaking her head, Pyrrha turned back to face Weiss. "Start the match, I'm going to show this hypocrite how outclassed she really is."

"Fighters take your positions." Glynda called out, Weiss straightening her posture as Pyrrha didn't even bother to grab her weapons. "And…" Glynda trailed off as their information appeared on the Monitors.

 **Pyrrha Nikos**

 **Class Rank 1**

 **Team Rank: 1**

 **Aura Level :100%**

 **Vs.**

 **Weiss Schnee**

 **Class Rank: 6**

 **Team Rank: 2**

 **Aura Level: 100%**

"Begin!"

At that moment a Glyph appeared beneath Weiss before she shot forward at speeds that nearly rivaled Ruby, intent on landing a direct blow into Pyrrha's chest.

 _ ***THOOOM!***_

 _ ***CRANG!***_

 **BGM: Satsuki's Theme-Kill la Kill OST**

" _WHAT!?"_ Weiss thought in alarm as she found herself forced to a stop in front of Pyrrha whom was holding a now black tinted Myrtenaster in her left-hand, gripping the blade so tight that the metal began to bend in protest. The force of the impact was enough for Pyrrha's hair to blow back, but other than that, the Spartan didn't as much as budge.

"You said Ruby can't fight effectively without her weapon…" Pyrrha trailed off and that was all the warning Weiss got before a vicious right slammed into her stomach with enough force to lift her body off of the ground as her body doubled over in pain. Nearly immediately after a second blow slammed into her face with enough strength to send her rag-dolling back across the arena, her weapon still in Pyrrha's grasp. "But what are you without yours?" Pyrrha asked before throwing the blade out of the arena and into the furthest wall of the class, making some students duck to avoid impalement.

"Gnh…" Weiss grunted in pain, holding stomach as Pyrrha strode over towards her.

"So quick to point out the flaws of others, while you do nothing to address your own." Pyrrha said before reaching down and grabbing Weiss by her collar before slamming her into a wall. "What can you do right now?" Pyrrha asked as Weiss looked at her weakly.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

A white glyph began to form behind Weiss however it soon disappeared after Pyrrha slammed another blow into Weiss' face.

"What's the matter, can't concentrate?" Pyrrha asked before punching Weiss again. "You can't even answer any of my questions. I asked you what are you?" Pyrrha asked her frown growing as she slammed blow after blow into Weiss. "Besides my punching bag." Pyrrha said before throwing Weiss behind her. Weiss' body bounced off of the ground once as Pyrrha began walking back towards her. Weiss struggled to get up onto her hands and knees only for Pyrrha to place her foot on Weiss' back and stomp her back into the ground. "You know what pisses me off the most? I _know_ how much power you have in you. You have _no_ excuse to be this weak. You just refuse to _try."_

"Don't talk as if you know me!" Weiss snapped angrily, shaking those who heard her to their core. They had heard Weiss _irritated_ before and annoyed beyond belief. But never had they heard this raw anger rip from her throat before. "You have no idea how hard I've tried to get to where I am!" Weiss shouted as she forced her self up onto her hands and knees only to get stomped back down into the ground.

"Which one of your dozens of butlers put it in your head that you've _ever_ tried?" Pyrrha asked with a frown. "If you ever tried, it would be me on the ground, not you." Pyrrha said before scoffing. "You have no true ambition, though I can't even blame you. You are Atlesian after all."

"What's that supposed to mean!?"

"Your whole kingdom is out of touch with reality from your children to your politicians. Born with your heads up your asses, what's worse is you were born at the top of that society. I'm from Mistral, what you call effort and what I call effort are two entirely different things." Pyrrha said with disgust in her voice as she lifted Weiss up by her ponytail.

Truth be told she didn't hate Atlas.

She didn't like it either but she decided to overplay her annoyance to help out Ren. Use this moment to shake Blake's beliefs and remind her that Faunus weren't the only ones who hated humans.

Humans hated humans as well.

"Mistral by design…" Pyrrha began as Weiss whimpered from her tightening grip

 **BGM: END**

 _ ***Flashback***_

 _ **BGM: Snow in Summer- NieR OST**_

… _ **Is built like a tower.**_

 _Wealthy and happy citizens of Mistral could be seen laughing and enjoying life in the sunset as they walked amongst the higher levels._

… _ **Those at the top live lives of luxury while those at the bottom levels live forgotten, not even given the bullshit illusion of a sustainable life.**_

" _Take this! This will teach you look at us the wrong way! You think you're so much better than us 'cuz you've got both of your parents, huh!?" An angry voice shouted as a group of teens kicked and punched a little girl with red hair who was garbed in rags._

 _ **Every day is a fight for survival.**_

 _The girl whimpered as she held a small white a gold sculpture of a goddess tightly in her hands, doing her best to protect it._

 _ **All you have is faith.**_

" _P-please just leave me alone." The girl whimpered as she began to bleed and bruise, one blow in particular even took out one of her teeth._

 _ **Blessings don't come often.**_

" _Hey what are you bastards doing!?" A voice boomed making her gasp before she heard one of her attackers scream in pain, shortly followed by the others as a mysterious savior tore through them. She shut her eyes as she quietly waiting for the screams to end. When they did, she opened her green eyes wide to find a Horse-Faunus standing before her, resting a spear on his shoulder. "Damn they messed you up good, girl. Come on let's get you home." The Faunus said before scooping her up with one arm._

 _ **But when they do, you cling onto them.**_

 _The girl cried loudly into his neck, gripping his shirt tightly as he walked her out of the alleyway, whispering to her that everything would be alright. As they walked, the girl never once noticed a torn missing poster._

 _[Missing:_

 _-Fall]_

 _ **Everyone does. For better or worse.**_

 _The little girl cracked open the door to her apartment's main living quarters. Her eyes wide with confusion as she saw her parents talking to the Horse-Faunus._

" _Wait, now I remember you! You're that famous Huntsmen trainer, Chiron right!? Saw your picture one day while I was cleaning up the upper levels! What are you doing down here?" Her father questioned making Chiron smile weakly._

" _Every so often I come back down here to give food to the community, give back and all that." Chiron said making the girl's mother frown._

" _Looks like, you're here to take rather than give back." The woman said, her voice wavering. "Why our daughter!?"_

" _She has spirit." Chiron said quietly. "I know potential when I see it. Call it a gift, Semblance, whatever. I have a good feeling about her. She will change the world."_

" _Honey…I…I hate it too…but as much as it hurts me, she might be better off with him. You saw her today…she could have gotten killed…or_ _ **worse.**_ _We…we can't protect her." The man said, his voice wavering surprising the girl as she never heard her father cry._

" _You think I don't know that!? Why do you think I'm so conflicted now!? Do you know how much it hurts as a mother to see that your daughter is better off without you!?" The woman questioned before breaking down into tears as her husband held her tightly. A moment passed before Chiron spoke up._

" _I...I cannot even imagine how you feel right now. That' said I have to ask you a question ma'am…" Chiron trailed off as he got her attention, his eyes gazing into hers as he slid a piece of paper towards her, a contract._ _ **"Do you believe in destiny?"**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _The girl cried in confusion, feeling betrayed as Chiron carried her away from her sobbing parents. His grip was tight as he carried her away._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _If you want to see them again so badly its simple! You have to try girl, try and succeed at becoming invincible! You have a gift, use it! Win your matches, earn your fame and glory and you can ascend with them!" Chiron shouted before hitting her with his spear, sending her crashing back. "I believe in you; the question is do you?" Chiron asked making the girl frown as he ended the match, leaving her to gather her thoughts._

 _ ***Flash***_

 _The girl stood quietly at the very bottom of Mistral, her expression firm as she stared up at the sun barely peaking through from the upper levels. Closing her eyes, she pictured her first official fight and consequently her first victory. The boos and jeers from the crowd who had betted against her loud in her head as the body of her opponent appeared beneath her._

 _At that moment she stepped on it as more and more matches flashed through her mind after that. All of them, victories that became less and less hard-fought. With each victory came another body that appeared on top of the previous one and sent her rising up through the levels of Mistral. As she rose, she aged, her body growing taller and stronger as more armor appeared on it. The jeers quickly turning into cheers as she basked in the sunlight._

" _For the third time in a row! Our champion is non-other than Pyrrha Nikos!" A loud voice shouted as Pyrrha opened her eyes to find Chiron approaching her, a golden circlet in his hands._

" _I hope you forgive me for being a bit presumptuous, but something told me you'd win so I had something done to your trophy in the event you won." Chiron said with a wink making her look up at him with a smirk._

" _As if I'd lose." Pyrrha said cockily as he chuckled and placed it on her head._

" _Well to be honest this wasn't my idea." Chiron said, confusing her until he stepped to the side, her eyes widening as she saw her parents approaching her. Her eyes began to water before she rushed into her mother's arms. "I invested your winnings like I said I would, they can live up here from now on." Chiron said though this only served to make Pyrrha weep even more._

" _I made it."_

" _I know honey." Her mother whispered quietly, rubbing her back. "And I've never been prouder."_

 _ ***Flashback: END***_

Snapping back into reality, Pyrrha noticed she was still holding Weiss and that not much time had passed. Closing her eyes, she forced back tears, an action that went unnoticed by everyone but the Knights…

…and Ruby.

"Reconsider whether you've truly tried when standing before someone born from effort." Pyrrha said before grabbing Weiss' crown and pulling it off of her head. Kicking the huntress into a wall, Pyrrha watched as the crown floated above her palm as Weiss forced herself to her feet, her hair falling free as she looked at Pyrrha in horror.

 _ ***Flashback***_

" _Honey?" A voiced asked as the door cracked open, illuminating Weiss' dark bedroom. Weiss quickly tried to wipe her tears to hide them though from the pained expression on her mother's face she could see it failed. "I'm sorry for how your birthday turned out…your father…he didn't mean it…" The woman said though they both knew that was a lie. Quickly changing the subject, the woman approached Weiss with a gift box. "You didn't get a chance to open your last gift from me."_

" _What is it?"_

" _Open it and find out." The woman said with a smile. Weiss looked at the box with wide yes before opening it to find a small crown of all things. "Use it to tie up your hair, and remember no matter what happens you'll always be my little princess." The woman said making Weiss smile brightly._

 _ ***Flashback: END***_

"Crowns should be earned, not bought." Pyrrha said before clenching her fist.

 _ ***Crunch***_

Weiss fell to her knees at the sight of the crown being crushed and crumpled into a barely recognizable ball of twisted metal. Dropping the metal Pyrrha glanced at the monitor before sighing.

 _ **Weiss Schnee**_

 _ **Class Rank: 6**_

 _ **Team Rank: 2**_

 _ **Aura Level: 20%**_

" _I knew she was a bit of a glass canon, but her aura fell that fast?"_ Pyrrha wondered before sighing and turning to a pensive Glynda. "Call it, no point in continuing this farce. She's not even worth crushing, her crown put up more of a fight than she did."

 **BGM: END**

 _ ***BOOOOM!***_

Pulling out Miló, Pyrrha turned to lazily block a blow from Yang whose eyes were burning red.

"Yang!" Ruby called out, horrified as many of the students looked at her in surprise, wondering if she had a death with.

"Ms. Xiao-Long! We do not attack students unprovoked!" Glynda snapped only for Yang to grit her teeth.

"No! I get Weiss can be a bit annoying but where do you get off treating her like that!? Do you really think you're that much better than us!?" Yang snapped making Pyrrha narrow her eyes slightly.

"I don't think, I know." Pyrrha said as all the metal on Yang's body was tinted black. Yang growled a bit as she felt her limbs being puled away from Pyrrha. "Yang I'm giving her a reality check that she needs. That her current level won't cut it. Something you as her team-mate should have done." Pyrrha said making both Ruby and even Blake look uncomfortable.

Good now she even upset them.

She knew being herself wouldn't be good for her social life.

Still it was too late to change back.

"I consider us friends, Yang." Pyrrha said honestly before leveling Yang with a glare so dark it even sent a chill down her spine even in her rage-induced state. "I'm chalking this up to your Semblance, but believe me. Try attacking me from the back like that again and I will put you down. If you have a problem with me, you bring it to me face-to-face." Pyrrha said before tapping Yang on her chest. Yang's eyes widened before she was sent blasting back into the arena walls at blinding speeds.

 _ ***BOOOOOOM!***_

 _ ***CRACK***_

"You…" Yang began darkly as she forced herself out from the hole.

"Stop it Yang!" Of all the voice to shout this at Yang, it surprised everyone that it came from Weiss whom looked livid. She had been embarrassed enough as it was, the last thing she needed was for people to start thinking she couldn't fight her own battles. "Did I ask for your help?"

"Huh? But–"

"This doesn't concern you, you dunce!" Weiss said angrily before turning to Pyrrha, her blue eyes seeming to shine a bit as she leveled a glare upon the Spartan that could have frozen hell itself. "Get back to the stands, this fight isn't over yet."

"Oh really?" Pyrrha asked skeptically, looking a bit amused actually at the look on Weiss' face.

"Really." Weiss said without looking at Yang any longer. Knowing a dismissal when she saw one, Yang went back to her desk. However, as she did, her Semblance died down and she felt more and more confused by her own actions than anything else.

"Yang! Are you crazy!? Are you trying to get expelled!?" Ruby asked incredulously, only stopping when she noticed how frightened her older sister looked. "Yang?"

"What just happened?" Yang asked, her voice smaller than her sister ever heard it.

"What do you mean what happened? You just attacked Pyrrha!" Ruby exclaimed. "Don't you remember?" Ruby asked only to widen her eyes when Yang slowly shook her head. Yang's hands were trembling and it was obvious to her friends that she was doing her best to not up and run out of the room.

"Hey didn't something similar happen with Nora awhile back?" Jaune asked Ren pointedly, gaining their attention. Catching on, Ren nodded his head as he thought about it.

"With Semblances like theirs, the stronger it gets the harder it becomes to control. To truly master it they need to find balance between increasing their power and their control." Ren said before glancing at Yang. "It's a common issue with Semblances like yours, I'd ask Nora for guidance later if I were you."

"I…I think I will…" Yang said quietly as she sat back down, clenching her fist to stop the trembling. She was irritated, yes, but she hadn't meant to explode. At no point did she plan to go down there and interfere with the match.

It just happened.

"Dad warned you about this." Ruby said quietly, so that only Yang could hear her though Blake still caught it. The brawler tensed as she knew Ruby was right. All the times Taiyang tried to get her to meditate or fight without her Semblance, she had thought he was just nagging.

Now she was beginning to see the truth.

Silently, Ruby just placed a hand over Yang's as they looked back at the fight.

"You've gone on and on, saying whatever it is that you wanted. I can't help that I was born into wealth and power, is that what upsets you!? Are you really that fucking petty!?" Weiss snapped, her voice slightly hoarse and Pyrrha could tell that if Weiss had even a little less pride she probably would have even cried.

Something about destroying that crown snapped something in Weiss.

Pyrrha realized then that perhaps she had gone too far. She had honestly thought it was just an expensive hairband, but if that crown meant even a fraction of what her own circlet meant to her, then she realized she messed up. For the first time in years, Pyrrha honestly felt a little bad for what she did to an opponent.

Still she was in too deep to stop now.

It was a gamble, but she could use this.

"You still don't get it do you?" Pyrrha asked sounding annoyed. "I don't care that you were born with money or power. What pisses me off is that you've done nothing with it!" Pyrrha snapped and she meant that. Nothing she had done to Weiss was anything she couldn't have done before meeting the rest of JNPR. "If I can get here from nothing. Why aren't you even further ahead!?" Pyrrha asked angrily. "You could have been such a great huntress! But all I see is a waste of space!" With each word, Weiss' rage grew more and more and Pyrrha could see that Weiss was at the breaking point.

What would happen after that, however, was anyone's guess.

It was time to roll the dice.

One.

Last.

Push.

"Be honest, exactly how ashamed of you is your family?" Pyrrha questioned making Weiss step back as if she had been slapped. Weiss' arms hung limply at her sides as she just stared at Pyrrha, her face slipping from hurt to completely emotionless quickly. Pyrrha knew she went too far, but that was the point. She had promised Weiss that she would break her, the question now was what would Weiss do after that? She had humiliated her, insulted her, degraded her status in front of everyone.

Just how far would Weiss go to protect whatever little pride she had left?

 _ ***FLASH!***_

" _What!?"_ Pyrrha wondered in confusion as a large blue glyph appeared beneath Weiss' feet. However, this one was different _._ It was much larger and had what appeared to be swirling sword symbols on it. Glancing at the other Knights she could see that the sight of the glyph alone was enough to shake them to their cores.

"You've done it." Weiss said quietly getting Pyrrha's attention.

Hate.

Pure.

Unadulterated.

Hate.

That is what was somehow conveyed through Weiss' emotionless stare as Pyrrha realized that Weiss truly did snap in that very moment. She had unhinged the heiress. What was worse was that Weiss didn't even seem to be aware of the fact that the Glyph was even there. Pyrrha, like many, assumed Weiss needed her weapon to use her various glyphs. Now she saw that that thought was wrong. It just made it _a lot_ easier, but with enough will power, Weiss could use them without it.

 **BGM: Will Power-Persona 5 OST**

"You've pissed me off." Weiss said darkly as an armored hand ripped out of the Glyph and slammed into the ground, making the arena tremble as Weiss somehow still managed to not notice what was happening as she stared Pyrrha down. Recently it had been easy to forget that Pyrrha was the youngest of the Knights by far.

She hadn't seen much in her seventeen years of life all things considered.

So, the other Knights couldn't blame her for the way her jaw dropped as a massive Knight made of light climbed out of the glyph making a few of the students screamed at the sight. Weiss' Aura shone brightly around her body, her blue eyes shining as a shadow seemed to be cast over her face. Her hair flew back from the sudden release of her power as she gritted her teeth. The wound over her eye reopened sending blood sliding down her face as the Knight freed itself completely.

A testament to the strain now on her body.

Eventually Pyrrha's survival instincts kicked in as she shook herself free of her stupor, her face now looking like a kid on Chr– non-descript winter holiday as she grinned viciously at Weiss. Or more accurately the Knight. Even now, she knew Weiss had a long way to give her any sort of thrill…

…but the Knight could be a different story altogether.

If it was sentient like she expected and not just a puppet, then perhaps she could at least sweat a bit for once. A smaller glyph, unbeknownst to Pyrrha, appeared beneath Myrtenaster which was still stuck into the wall. It pulsed before sending the blade flying through the air and over the arena before it was caught by Weiss whom hadn't stopped glaring at Pyrrha. Before the Spartan could debate whether or not she'd rob Weiss of her weapon again, Weiss quickly ejected one of the dust vials before placing one that was filled with black dust inside of it. Black runes appeared on the weapon as it became tinted black, making Pyrrha smirk.

Weiss just canceled out Pyrrha's ability to steal her weapon

Good.

Weiss was learning.

When the Knight rose to it's full height and stabbed its blade into the ground before itself, only then did Weiss notice it's presence. She faced it, a slight widening of her eyes showing that she was surprised to see it however that look of wonder died quickly when she returned her glare towards Pyrrha.

If looks could kill…

"What the hell!? Could she always do that!?" Yang asked Ruby whom could shake her head in wonder, looking just as shocked as Yang. Blake shuddered a bit at the power Weiss displayed, she had heard rumors of the Schnee's Semblance but she hadn't seen anything too impressive from Weiss…

…until now.

"Pay attention. This is what I mean by resolve." Ren told Team RWBY. "Take a good look at Weiss' face, look familiar?" Ren asked, making them frown before Yang and Blake both glanced at Ruby whom looked confused at the sudden attention on her.

"What?"

"She looks like how Ruby did against Blake." Yang muttered making Ren nod. Ruby just looked surprised, not realizing she had looked so…cold…when she fought Blake.

"Weiss will lose." Ren said after a moment. "Make no mistake, however, at this moment even if its temporary…"

"…Weiss is currently the strongest on your team. Ranks be damned." Jaune finished as he gazed down at the fight. Blake's knuckles turned white from how hard she clenched her fist as she looked at Weiss.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Heartful Cry- Persona 3 OST**

Pyrrha met her glare with a grin as her shield and spear floated to her hands. Slowly she began walking towards Weiss. Her pace began to pick up after a moment as her walk became a full-blown sprint as she rushed Weiss down. The massive Knight used its hand to push its master behind it before using its free one to slash downward towards Pyrrha with its blade.

 _ ***CRANG!***_

Pyrrha's eyes widened from the force of the blade, the power behind the swing being enough to knock her off her feet as her shield struggled against its might. The Knight sent Pyrrha flying toward the arena wall, but before she could slam into it, she recovered and landed on it. Massive cracks appeared on the wall beneath her feet as she fell to a knee for a moment. Her grin widening, Pyrrha licked her lips before she launched herself forward like a bullet and slammed her shield into the Knight's chest with enough force to knock it off balance. Flipping forward, she placed her feet on its chest plate before launching herself off of it and back towards Weiss.

 _ ***CLANG!***_

Myrtenaster met Miló and for the _briefest_ of moments the two weapons struggled for dominance before Pyrrha knocked Weiss' sword to the side. Pyrrha was going to land a powerful blow only for Weiss' image to flicker as she suddenly disappeared. Suddenly, Weiss appeared behind Pyrrha as if she were skating, a white glyph beneath her feet as she stabbed towards Pyrrha whom blocked the attack with her weapon without even looking back at Weiss.

"Good you've stopped overthinking your attacks so much. Let your Aura guide you, listen to your instincts." Pyrrha advised making Weiss growl.

"Shut up!" Weiss shouted as she used a glyph to shoot herself back away from Pyrrha while the summoned Knight shot forwards, its blade in both hands. Pyrrha found herself forced to side-step the massive attack as she realized that defending against its blows wasn't an optimal choice for her.

 _ ***BOOOOM***_

The room trembled as the wall was destroyed, revealing the courtyard of the school. Pyrrha found herself moving outside as she repeatedly jumped backwards to dodge blades of pure ice that Weiss sent raining towards her. The students scrambled to the windows to watch the fight, Team JNPR and Team RWBY even going outside through the new make-shift exit.

" _How…"_ Blake wondered as she saw the expression on Weiss' face. An expression she saw often enough in the mirror as she tried to fight for her people. One filled with a fire and determination that one would think impossible from a girl born with everything. _"How is someone like you able to look like that?"_

"Finally, you're getting it!" Pyrrha's voice shocked her from her thoughts as they could see the Spartan laughing loudly as she fought Weiss. Safe to say, this was the longest they had ever seen Pyrrha fight in a match. "Even if you have everything, you must fight like you have nothing!"

"Shut up! I don't have everything!" Weiss shouted as a massive dome of white glyphs appeared around her, the summoned Knight, and Pyrrha. "You all sit around and think that, while you all have the one thing I don't. The one thing that matters!" Weiss said as a yellow time-displacement glyph appeared beneath them. Weiss and the Knight were covered in a yellow light as Pyrrha suddenly shut her eyes, her red aura now visible as it covered the entirety of her body. "Some one who cares if you win or lose. You're _loved."_ Weiss said quietly, tears in her eyes as Pyrrha tensed before glaring at Weiss.

"So are you." Pyrrha said, confusing Weiss. "You have at least seven friends trying to show you that, but your head is so far up your ass with your attitude that you can't see it!" Pyrrha said as Weiss' eyes widened before she disappeared in a blur of speed. "Believe me when I say, your loneliness can be as much your fault as it is others." Pyrrha said as she defended herself against the attacks.

"What the hell even is this fight?" Yang asked in shock as Weiss and the Knight attacked Pyrrha at speeds that were near impossible for them to track. Yet despite this, Pyrrha somehow managed to move fast enough to parry Weiss' attacks while dodging the summoned Knight's own offense. "How is Pyrrha even keeping up?"

"Pyrrha…is a woman born from victory." Jaune said after a moment, his eyes never leaving the fight. "For her? Failure isn't an option. She'll find a way to keep up, even if she has to tear her own body a part in the process." Jaune said as he watched Pyrrha use her Aura to artificially increase her strength and speed with a grimace. Moving fast enough to match temporal displacement? He knew Pyrrha's muscles were screaming in pain right now.

But he also knew she was grinning ear to ear.

Suddenly Pyrrha turned around and kicked the air, at the moment Weiss appeared in front of her foot just in time for the blow to connect, sending her crashing out of the dome as the glyphs all shattered. Weiss' body bounced three times, Myrtenaster falling out her grasp, before she hit the ground and slid to a stop. The summoned Knight leapt backwards, the ground cracking beneath its might before it gripped its blade with both hands and charged Pyrrha.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

However, before it could reach her a locker slammed into its back sending it crashing to the ground.

"Her locker? When did she call for that!?" Ruby asked in surprise before shuddering as she realized that it must have been while she was defending against Weiss' desperate onslaught. Despite moving at those speeds and fighting two different opponents, Pyrrha still managed to find a way to pull out and use her scroll.

"Isn't that cheating!?" Yang asked only for Jaune to shake his head.

"Remember Glynda's rules, all resources are permitted. In battle you do anything to win." Jaune said before frowning. "A better question is why did she summon her locker? Her weapons are with her, aren't they?" Jaune asked sounding confused and even Ren was lost. The locker was tinted black as Pyrrha used her semblance to keep the Knight pinned even as the door opened.

 **BGM: END**

"Relax I'll let you up in a moment. I need to give you all a present." Pyrrha said as she walked on top of the struggling Knight as the door to her locker opened. "I was saving this for Jaune, but you deserve this. Even if it is only for a moment." Pyrrha said making a chill run down Jaune's spine as their friends glanced at him in confusion while Weiss struggled to her hands and knees and dragged herself to her blade. Pyrrha smiled a bit as she reached into her locker.

 _ ***Flashback***_

" _Despite what it may seem, we gave Weiss to you to look after for a reason. She may be hard to stand, now, but make no mistake. She becomes a woman, a Huntress, that could probably entertain you more than me." Jaune said as he stood on the roof, his hands folded behind his back as he stared up at the shattered moon. "So much so that I consider her one of my three greatest mistakes."_

" _What?" Pyrrha asked with a frown, confused as she had an idea of what the other two mistakes were._

 _Especially seeing how she was one of them._

" _I distanced myself from Weiss for a reason. Unlike you who is my partner, or Ruby who I will eventually serve under. She is the one mistake I've made that I don't have to be around." Jaune said after a moment. "This is why I want you to look after her. You're better than me, you won't fail her." Jaune said as he walked towards her and placed a hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. "Look after her." Jaune said as he stared down into Pyrrha's eyes making his partner nod quietly._

" _Jaune…what exactly happened to her?" Pyrrha asked making him tense, glancing back at her, he gave her a broken smile as he simply shrugged._

" _She tried to protect my family_ _ **."**_ _Jaune said as a single tear slid down his face. "If she survived that_ _ **massacre**_ _there is no doubt in my mind that she'd be the Knight Captain right now. So please. Make sure we don't lose an asset like her. Make her strong."_

" _...I will."_

 _ ***Flashback: END***_

Pyrrha's shield bounced off the ground as she pulled out something from her locker that made Jaune and Ren pale, while the other students looked at her in confusion. Form her locker she pulled out…

…a _second_ Miló.

 **BGM: Erza's Theme-Fairy Tail OST**

Unlike her signature spear, the second one looked nearly identical but its colors were inverted. Nodding to herself, she flipped off of the Knight and put some distance between her and it before releasing it.

"This started as me wanting a spare weapon. However, recently I realized that having a second spear allows me to draw out my full potential. So, allow me to introduce you to _Miló: Alternative_." Pyrrha said, her cheeks flushing a bit as her Aura began to fill the area making Ruby shudder. Unlike Jaune's which was warm and protective, Pyrrha's Aura conveyed nothing but pure blood lust. Pyrrha licked the blade of her spear before charging the summoned knight with a manic grin. "I wanted to keep this a surprise, but allow me to give you a _glimpse_ of perfection!" Pyrrha shouted before rushing towards the summoned Knight, her body glowing red before she launched her self up towards it, both spears held tightly in her hands.

 _ ***SHING!***_

Weiss blinked and when she did she found the Knight falling apart, piece of its armor falling to the ground covered in a spiritual fire before exploding into countless particles of light as Pyrrha landed on the ground. Weiss trembled at the sight of the other huntress whom turned to face her.

 _ ***BANG!***_

" _What!?"_ Weiss thought in alarm as Pyrrha suddenly disappeared when two rounds fired from her spears. A chill went down Weiss' spine as she suddenly realized where Pyrrha was. Blood drained from her face when she felt the blades of both spears against her neck.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

Her Aura shattered instantly, as if suddenly catching up to the fact that Pyrrha had attacked her. To shatter her aura without hurting her meant that Pyrrha attacked her with a deathly precision. Attacking the Aura, but never the host.

But this wasn't mercy.

No.

Weiss trembled with fury as she realized exactly what this was.

A message.

To show her just how outclassed she was.

"This was the hardest you've ever fought wasn't it?" Pyrrha said knowingly as a shadow covered Weiss' face. "How did it feel? To _try_ for once?"

Weiss said nothing.

Her anger palpable.

Her pride shot.

She had fought so hard, was humiliated, hurt both physically and emotionally, and had absolutely _nothing_ to show for it.

"Don't think that." Pyrrha said as if able to read Weiss' mind, startling the huntress. "You've improved, gotten stronger, gained respect for even lasting this long, but most importantly you've _learned._ You know what your weaknesses are, what my strengths are, and you can adapt for next time, and the time after that, and so on and so forth. You've gained perspective."

"I couldn't even scratch you." Weiss said, her voice wavering as twin trails of tears slid down her face.

"Not many can." Pyrrha said as she removed her weapons and stabbed them into the ground before gently turning Weiss around so that the heiress could face her. "You've gained my acknowledgement." Pyrrha said as she placed a hand on Weiss' shoulder. "I have no doubt that one day you will be a worthy opponent. However, you need to check your priorities. My skill came from life not books. So please, start living your life and see the potential I see in you. That we all see in you." Pyrrha said firmly. "Believe me when I say you need friends, allies. After this I'll gladly be your first one."

Weiss said nothing even as her shoulders shook ever-so-slightly.

Chuckling, Pyrrha just pulled Weiss towards her in a one-armed embrace.

 **BGM: END**

"You really are a prideful thing, aren't you?" Pyrrha wondered quietly before gently leading Weiss away so that none of the others would see Weiss cry. Her spears collapsed and her Shield flew towards her and strapped themselves to her back as they walked away. "Still got a few classes left, wanna ditch?" Pyrrha asked knowing that such a thing was something Weiss normally would never agree to.

Weiss just nodded.

She couldn't face anyone like this.

"So…wait…are they friends now?" Yang asked in confusion as she scratched her head, her confusion clear.

"Looks like it." Jaune mused as he watched the two huntresses ditch.

"But…how…?" Ruby asked in confusion.

"Sometimes you have to make friends with your fists." Jaune said with a shrug making Yang nod after a moment.

"I can respect that." Yang said before whistling at the destroyed classroom and courtyard. "And I can respect that fight. Don't get me wrong, it was one-sided. Pyrrha still has like all of her Aura, but I never knew Weiss could throw down like that!"

"I don't think she did either." Ren mused. "It was brief, but for a moment she was truly powerful." Ren said, making Yang slam a fist into her palm.

"Looks like l need to try even harder. Can't have Weiss take my spot! Right Blake–" Yang stopped when she noticed her partner had disappeared. "Blake?"

"She probably needs time to think. Don't worry." Ren reassured Yang, "Excitement aside, she did just fall behind." Ren explained making Yang nod with a small grimace.

"You're right."

"I didn't mean to upset her!" Ruby said, looking worried that it was her fault.

"Don't worry, Ruby. It's like that time we played Soaring Ninja last week. She's salty but she'll get over it." Jaune teased as Ruby glowered at him, remembering how he destroyed her in a way that reminded her of her uncle Qrow.

"I will have my revenge!" Ruby declared making him chuckle as they made their way to their next class after hearing the bell ring. All of the students left, never looking back at the glowering form of Glynda whom pulled out her whip.

"I hate teaching." Glynda muttered as she realized she was stuck with clean up duty. She had half a mind to give Pyrrha and Weiss a detention out of spite but simply shook her head. She had enough to worry about with the impending confrontation between herself and the Knights. Still despite this she couldn't help but look at the monitor, or more accurately Pyrrha's Aura level.

 **100%**

" _Such potential will not be wasted a second time."_ Glynda swore to herself. Pyrrha had chosen to match Jaune's overwhelming defense with an overwhelming offense. It was clear the Spartan hadn't perfected it yet but she knew it was only a matter of time. _"I need to get preparations ready. I'll be damned if I have to clean up a mess from her and Jaune."_

 **-That Afternoon: Glynda's Office-**

Mentally counting down from ten, Glynda sipped on her coffee and sure enough when she reached zero, the door to her office burst open and in walked an unamused Jaune and Ren. Slamming the door behind him, Glynda just sighed when she saw it crack.

"What the hell was that!?"

"My favorite door." Glynda said dryly.

" _Goodwitch."_

"You're referring to Ruby, correct?" Glynda asked before leaning back in her chair. "Truth be told, I was just as surprised as you are. I had my suspicions, but after your last spar with her, they were proving to be correct."

"And what are these suspicions?" Ren asked patiently though Glynda could tell it was wearing thin.

"That the Empress isn't as gone as we thought. Tell me, did any of you check your Aura levels when you first returned?" Glynda asked making them shake their heads. "Well if you had you'd notice that you had quite a bit more Aura than you should have at this point in time. Did you ever wonder what happened to your counterparts when you took over their bodies?"

"I…I tried not to, after what happened to Oscar…the thought that I went and _Ozpin'd_ myself makes me a little sick." Jaune said quietly. "It's why I distanced myself from my family the way I did. I couldn't bear to hurt them like he hurt us and especially Ruby."

"Yes well, there is not much we can do about it. No matter how you look at it we did–how did you say it again? Ah, yes–Ozpin ourselves. However, there is a difference between what he did and what we did. We took over ourselves, our own bodies, we lived everything our bodies had in this timeline which makes it hard to tell that this is a _merge_ not a possession." Glynda explained. "Ozpin took over a "stranger" who lived his own life. This is why you could tell the difference between him and Oscar. If the Empress had chosen to forsake Pyrrha, she'd be standing right alongside us this very moment."

"No, she wouldn't." Jaune said as he shook his head, confusing them. "Think. If the Empress had just merged with Ruby like we did she could have awoken Pyrrha herself. No, something bigger is going on here. The Empress wanted to be separate from Ruby for as long as possibly, she wanted us to train her but why? What's the point?"

"Nora." Ren spoke up, making both of the blondes look at him cluelessly. "No, not because of Nora, but Nora is a perfect example of why! Haven't you two noticed that her emotions are a lot harder to reign in?"

Again, he was met with clueless expressions as Nora always had powerful emotions.

"Her anger." Ren tried again making them frown in thought. "Surely you've noticed that her anger has been a lot harder to manage. Every other meeting she's either calling for James' blood or Ozpin's. Our Nora could control her anger a lot better, but ever since the leap she's been a time-bomb."

"He…has a point. Mentally, she's still our Battle Master but her _heart_ is a lot stronger…oh shit." Jaune cursed as a startling realization sunk in. "Throughout her reign, the Empress' heart grew colder and colder as her mind grew sharper and wiser. As much as it pains me to admit, she became a machine."

And what was worse was it was their fault.

And they knew it.

"It was our Aura that transferred our souls during the leap. By awakening Pyrrha the way she had, she had essentially destroyed the "core" of her Aura, what controlled her mind and memories while the raw power went to Ruby." Jaune explained as he began to pace. "We can separate the Empress and Ruby into the _mind_ and _heart_ respectively. Even though this "core" was destroyed, like Aura it will regenerate. The Empress _will_ return."

"However, she will have a much stronger heart if we continue to train Ruby." Ren muttered. "If the Empress truly returns with a heart she had long since forsaken…nothing could stand in her way. This was all just a convoluted way to reignite her passion."

"Her passion for what?" Glynda wondered making Jaune grimace.

"Humanity." Jaune said quietly, stunning them as he got their attention. "We've all seen different parts of the Empress. She has entrusted different secrets to each of us." Jaune said and he saw both Ren and Glynda tense, each of them knowing something someone else in the room didn't. Jaune couldn't help but smile humorlessly as he was no different. "This may be hard to hear, but believe me. After everything? No one hated humanity more than Salem, but by the end of her reign the Empress was a close second."

"Every Rose has its thorns, but hers were lethal." Ren said quietly, closing his eyes as he thought of more than a few meetings with the Empress that ended with him ending someone's life to keep the peace.

"At some point something inside her broke even though her outside remained unscathed. This is her attempt to fix it. If we fail to help and nurture Ruby…who knows what she will become. She's walking a fine line and as much as I hate to admit it, I'm no longer enough to keep her grounded. Hell, I probably never was." Jaune muttered as Glynda stood up.

"You did what you could, you're the reason she even made it to that fateful day…that said, you're right. You're not enough anymore, none of us are…but that doesn't mean I can't find and recruit someone who is…" Glynda trailed of, surprising them as a shadow was cast over her face. Like always, Glynda was one step ahead of them Jaune didn't even know why he was surprised anymore by the cold efficiency of the Advisor. "Jaune…Ren…I'm going to need your help."

Huh?

Well that was new.

"With what?" Ren asked with a raised eyebrow as Glynda leveled a cold gaze upon both of them

"I think…I'm going out tonight." Glynda muttered, clearly unamused as both men blinked at her owlishly.

Of the all the ways they expected this conversation to turn out.

That wasn't one.

At that moment hundreds of memories of Jaune spending time with his sisters and memories of Ren trying to get Nora even remotely in touch with her feminine side flashed through their minds. A dark grin split both of their faces as Glynda felt a chill go down her spine.

"On second thought–"

"Oh no, please allow us. Besides, we still haven't talked about you keeping vital information concerning the well-being of the _princess_ from us, Knight." Jaune said with a smile that somehow only conveyed ill-intent. Glynda found herself backed into a wall, her eyes widening slightly as the other Knights raised their hands towards her. Instinctively she wanted to send them flying, but knew this was karma.

She was doing this for Ruby.

She had to remind herself that.

 **-That Night: Vale: Capital Building-**

"You know, Oz, when I told you she invited me out of the blue to be her plus one…I didn't expect you to make me actually show up." Qrow said dryly as he stood outside of the building in a black suit, his tattered cape still hanging from his shoulders. "Of all the times to remember how to use the send button." Qrow muttered before taking a drink from his flask.

"Yes, well, Glynda's recent behavior has shaken the entirety of our inner circle. James and Lionheart both seem particularly perturbed by her change of heart." Ozpin said with a sigh.

"All the more reason for me _not_ to show up. This is clearly a trap of some kind. I mean how the hell did she even know I was in town to begin with?" Qrow muttered, a scowl on his face. Like the others, news of Glynda's 'betrayal' caught him off guard. She was pretty much Ozpin's right-hand. What was worse was that he _knew_ she didn't side with Salem which meant that another side was rearing its ugly head in this unseen war. "What the hell does she want with me?"

"That's what we're here to find out. Any information right now is good information. So just play her game for now, and find out what you need to and tell me. She's uncomfortably close to our students, two of which are your nieces. If anyone should want to know what's going on through her mind it's you." Ozpin said making Qrow grimace at this idea that his family might be more involved than they already were. "I'll be inside stalling James. He's no doubt begun looking for the councilor to try to persuade him into vouching for his army to come to the festival."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. I'll wait here for Glynda. Hopefully, one of us gets some news by the end of tonight." Qrow said, making Ozpin nod. The headmaster patted Qrow reassuringly on his shoulder before making his way into the building. Qrow continued drinking from his flask as a black limousine pulled up in front of the building. The driver who was wearing a black suit and red-tie stepped out and went to open the door and when he did, Qrow's eyes widened incredulously as an all too familiar blonde stepped out from the back.

 **BGM: Sexyback-Justin Timberlake**

"Thank you." Glynda told the driver making him nod before he closed the door. A bit more than a few turned to stare at the blonde whom made her way up the stairs. Instead of her usual attire, Glynda was now wearing a form-fitting black evening gown, the back of which was made out of a transparent fabric that still bore her golden crown emblem. The slit along her skirt showed off not only her leg, but her riding crop which was strapped to it. Her hair was let down from its ever-present bun, letting the long blonde curls hang freely and she opted to wear contacts instead of her glasses for the evening. She held her purse under her arm as she made her way towards Qrow, her black heels echoing with every step she took.

However, it was what she did next that made Qrow positive that hell itself had frozen over.

At this point he was debating going home because he was sure Salem had won the war after what he witnessed.

Glynda.

 _Fucking._

Goodwitch.

… _smiled._

"Qrow, glad you decided to join me for the evening, despite everything going on." Glynda said, looking _genuinely_ pleased to see him. Her red-painted lips turned into a smirk at the gobsmacked expression on Qrow's face before she gently hooked an arm around one of his and led him into the building. "Come, we have a _long_ night ahead of us, let's use this time to get to know one another a bit better."

"What are you after?" Qrow asked suspiciously, as he decided to play her game for now and let her lead him into the building.

At the very least, the look on James' face would be payment enough for this "mission".

"A lot of things, but tonight? Just a peaceful evening. You just so happen to be a much-appreciated bonus." Glynda said and despite it all, Qrow couldn't help but chuckle.

"You're a real piece of work, you know that?" Qrow asked as he took a sip from his flask only to find it snatched out of his hand. He was going to scowl at her but stopped when he watched her down the rest of the liquid with ease.

"Later, I'm going to get you the good stuff." Glynda said before handing him the flask. "You might as well be drinking water." Glynda said making Qrow raise an eyebrow, not knowing that at that moment she needed that drink much more than he had.

"Is that right?"

"That's right." Glynda said and Qrow once more had to fight the urge to take cover when he saw Glynda smile again. "What? You think we just keep coffee in those mugs of ours?" Glynda asked, looking amused.

Yeah.

Tonight, was going to be interesting.

 **To be continued…**

 **Next Chapter: Jaune Arc: Wingman Extraordinaire (+** _ **Potentially**_ **Fight of the Valkyrie. Not sure if I'm going to make it its own chapter or not yet.)**

 **Will: *cracks knuckles* I finally finished editing this chapter. I had quite a lot of fun and it was a much appreciated read. I eagerly await the next chapter. After all, Jaune will be using his Wingman Skills. Now if you'll excuse me Lord Rebuke and Lady Rebuff, I've got some work to do on my RWBY & God of War X-over. *transforms into chibi form and jumps into the mouth of a Nevermore that then flies through a portal of ghostly flames* Thank you for the review by the way! I really needed it!**

 **Rebuff: Seriously how does that bird never eat him?**

 **The world may never know.**

 **Reviews:**

 **Dopplerdee: Kukuku Yang's arc is going to be interesting to say the least. As for the scale, probably around a Reinhardt level.**

 **Quelqu'un dans la nuit: Haha, fair enough though the Empress was always meant to go the Saber route as it is the most likely way Ruby would have turned out in this situation Glad you like the Pyrrha representation. Wouldn't call it bashing Ozpin, I like the guy, its more of this story simply being told from a side with opposing viewpoints.**

 **Won't say anything about James though I want you to tell me at least 3 things he's done right since he was introduced. I like the idea behind the guy, he's classy and cool but I have yet to see him do anything that's actually worked out. All feats he has are either offscreen or part of his unknown lore. (Not to mention that how he handled Penny was one of the biggest failures I've ever seen).**

 **Regardless thanks for the review!**

 **343: Well its not so much as taking over for them as it is getting them on an even playing field (Though for obvious reasons RWBY will have a small edge in some areas). Like unless he gets killed, Jaune will stay Knight Captain regardless off RWBY's level.**

 **Xyz: Well the merge isn't instant she has a little while before it completes and yeah its meant to be scary. Especially as you learn more about the Empress and realize not everything was sunshine and rainbows for her. Gives a small idea of what Ruby is going through as she slowly becomes someone else.**

 **It was a mix between the lack of will and the sudden mood-switch of Ruby giving her flashbacks. Honestly didn't help that Ruby and Adam had similar aesthetics. If it had been say, Weiss, for example, she'd have fared much better. I agree but also disagree about vol. 1 Weiss. She was no where near as good as she thought she was but at the same time though she could mainly only burn through money, I can't exactly fault her for that. It was her fighting style and it just happened to be expensive. Her Semblance in every volume we've seen so far is easily the most broken of the entire cast so I can't say in full faith that Weiss would lose to vol. 1 Ruby.**

 **To be honest, even in current volumes she'd still beat Ruby until Ruby starts to control her eyes better. You're right about this though, without dust she's definitely screwed. Also, ha! I got that reference!**

 **Blake must research…for science…**

 **Aidis: Well expect more of it come volume 2. Each "Volume" will shift the story more and more to Ruby's P.O.V. Come volume 3…well…you'll see. Thanks for the review!**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Lol a lesson in humility was delivered in a very brutal way. Nothing can hurt more than getting your ass beat, getting a power up, and still get your ass beat.**

 **FateBurn: Thanks!**

 **Korben600: Early Christmas and belated New Years lets go! Weiss can't help it, Pyrrha has an ungodly affinity for breaking people.**

 **TheNeah: I mean…she…tried at least lol… and yeah my poor assistant doesn't know what's coming.**

 **Janed12000: Oh believe me there will definitely be conflicting ideals, though who it comes from might be quite a surprise.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Oh, the fight did not help Weiss' self-esteem at all, but at least it was the wake-up call she needed lol.**

 **Dandyrr0403: Lol glad you peeped that and yeah Jaune definitely needs to watch his wording. Glad you liked the chapter and thank you for the review! Also glad you liked the omake lmao.**

 **Will of Wisp: Happy holidays to you! Glad you liked the omake!**

 **Littlest1: Glad you liked the chapter! Lol yeah their relationship will be interesting as Blake becomes the unfortunate audience to Ruby's love life. The Knights realized they screwed up with the Empress, and now are making sure that history doesn't repeat itself. Yeah Pyrrha isn't pulling any punches when it comes to her friends, she wants them to get better whether they like or not is a different story altogether.**

 **AJ Lexie: More of a nightmare the Empress conjured in order to convey a message to Ruby. Lol why not both, glad you liked the chapter and happy New Years! May 2018 be your best year yet, Lex!**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: Lol glad you liked the chapter and yeah Weiss probably should have pussed out but at least she has something to show for it lmao!**

 **Le Chasseur: Poor Ruby lmao. Yeah Blake needs to work on that a bit, hopefully she has a much-needed wake-up call after this. Lol you're right, Pyrrha definitely had to tone it back or else she accidentally kills the poor girl.**

 **MoonShadowPup: Dude go right ahead lmao I do not mind in the slightest just let me know when you do!**

 **Bankerrtx01: Lmao it is not the time to be a scrooge buffy.**

 **Rebuff: Bah-fucking-humbug**

 **Read and review and stay classy,**

 **~RebukeX7**


	11. Glynda's Gambit II

**Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY but I do own my crippling student debt :D**

 **Can't believe I actually got something out for march! Also, here's the thing, I didn't take February off…I just updated a story I hadn't updated in like a year. I put a list of my 2018 goals at the end of this chapter, lets hopefully reach them together! Note these are not concrete but just an idea!**

 _ **Featured BGMs:**_

 _ **Blissful Death- NieR Automata OST**_

 _ **Vague Hope (Cold Rain)- Nier Automata OST**_

 _ **Broken People- Logic & Rag'nBone Man**_

 _ **Paralyzed (Mystery Skulls cover)- Ken Ashcorp**_

 _ **Human Legacy-Ivan Torrent**_

 _ **Bad Luck Charm-RWBY OST**_

 **You Say Run- Boku no Hero Academia OST**

 **His Theme-Under Tale OST**

 **Chapter 11: Glynda's Gambit II (Her Angel)**

 **(Alt title: How Glynda got her groove back. Credit to Dopplerdee for that one lmao)**

 _ **-Empire of Rose: 4 years before the Fall of Rose-**_

 _ **BGM: Blissful Death- NieR Automata OST**_

" _You requested me, your Highness?" Glynda questioned as she entered the Empress' private quarters. As she entered, she noticed what appeared to be parts of the Knight Captain's armor on the floor near the bed but chose not to comment on it. Looking forward she found the Empress standing on her balcony, her hand resting lightly on the rail as she looked up at the fragmented moon._

" _Yes." The Empress answered, her voice barely more than a gentle whisper yet carried a weight Glynda could not ignore. "I'm afraid it appears as though the end of my reign is coming soon."_

" _What do you mean?" Glynda asked, looking a bit alarmed. "You're adored by everyone! No one wants you to leave your throne–" Glynda stopped when the Empress raised a hand to silence her._

" _My end will not be a voluntary one nor one requested by my subjects. I can feel it. Deep within my very being as if the gods themselves are letting me know. My time in this world is running short." The Empress said as she turned to face Glynda, her eyes shadowed. "When it is time for me to go. You will prepare an heir. You're the only one I can trust to objectively handle this task. To do this, however, I will need to teach you a certain ability. One only you can be trusted with." The Empress said as she walked towards Glynda whom was now clenching her fist so tightly that she drew blood. "Come." The Empress said with a hint of finality in her words. "It's time for our final lesson."_

" _We can stop this."_

" _Since when were you the optimistic one?" The Empress wondered as she brushed past Glynda only to stop when the Advisor gripped her wrist tightly._

" _Please." Glynda said, her voice wavering a bit as her eyes glistened with tears that refused to fall. "Since when do you give up?"_

" _Give up?" The Empress repeated before laughing lightly before grasping the side of Glynda's face gently as she gave her advisor a bright smile. "I am just moving forward, despite what lies at the end of my path. A golden age will arise from my ashes, protect it. This…is my final order."_

 _ **BGM: END**_

 **-Present: Vale: Capital-**

"So, what exactly are you planning for this…whatever it is this is?" Qrow questioned as they stood at the side of the room.

"Firstly, it's called a date." Glynda said with a small smile that once more put Qrow on edge. "Honestly, however? I've gotten what I came for and don't particularly want to be here for too long as I'm sure you and I can find some better ways to spend our time."

"Don't get me wrong, Goodwitch. You're definitely attractive. If you were anyone else I'd definitely show you a good time." Qrow began with a smirk. "That said, you're not anyone else. You're you and recently I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing."

"You wound me." Glynda said looking a bit amused. "If it makes you feel any better we can help out Ozpin while we're here, stop James from sinking his claws into the councilors."

"Help Ozpin or help you?" Qrow questioned making her laugh a bit.

"Ozpin. Believe it or not, I'll tell you the same thing I told him. I am not your enemy."

"But you're not our ally either."

"I am for now, and right now you all need all the help you can get. I left the way I did to help him, you know?" Glynda said, making him look at her skeptically.

"How did that help anyone?"

"He is a smart man, Ozpin. However, he has too much faith in his own plans. He thinks that once they are set in motion that nothing can go wrong. A fatal flaw. He never thinks twice about his inner circle, refusing to believe that they would ever turn against him once he shows them the light. I left to get him out of this mind-set, to truly look at those he held closely. I could have easily continued to play my part, leaving him none the wiser until it was too late."

"But you didn't."

"I didn't." Glynda agreed, her smile never wavering as Qrow frowned, his eyes narrowing ever-so-slightly.

"Who?" Qrow asked, his voice a deathly whisper. He was no fool, he knew exactly what she was implying. She may have been a 'traitor' but he also knew she was saying there was more than one, one that also wasn't with her or Ozpin.

"Tell me, have you been to Mistral lately? I've heard a lot of Huntsmen are going missing on the field. From their very _homes._ I wonder who has enough pull to send all those people straight to Salem?" Glynda asked rhetorically making Qrow look at her in surprise, his face paling a bit as he registered what she was implying.

" _Leo!?"_ Qrow whispered incredulously. "No. You could be lying, trying to distract us."

"Look into it yourself. Makes no difference to me, someone with your skills can verify it easily if you actually look for it." Glynda said matter-of-factly. "Though let me ask you something, if I am right and Leo has betrayed humanity and dozens of his own Huntsmen and their families…what will Ozpin do?"

Qrow frowned.

He knew the answer. He just didn't want to say it because he was now beginning to see what Glynda was getting to.

"He'd give him a second chance. To atone for his sins and once more come to the light." Glynda answered.

"He doesn't have a choice. If he apprehends Leo too many questions will be asked, too many things will come to the light–"

Glynda laughed.

"War is inevitable, Qrow. You know exactly what she's capable of." Glynda interrupted with a whisper of her own. Her expression now carried a level of coldness that Qrow had become accustomed to. " _Apprehend?_ That man will die for what he's done." Glynda said resolutely, sending a chill down Qrow's spine.

She meant it.

He knew without a doubt that she honestly meant that.

She would tear Leo apart herself if she could.

"He's killed so many Huntsmen, many that he _taught."_ Glynda said, making Qrow grit his teeth. "If Ozpin did what he did what would you do? What would you do if he sold out your family to Ozpin? Check your priorities Qrow."

"Don't you dare question my priorities!" Qrow gritted out, somehow managing not to shout at Glynda. Images of Yang and Ruby flashed through his mind as a sinking feeling hit his gut. "It's because of my priorities that I am even here. You betrayed Ozpin as well, but you're with the students still…my girls. You could be doing something even worse. Ozpin told me that you got Yang sent to medical wing at the very beginning of her classes."

"Oh, did he now?" Glynda asked rhetorically. "Did he also add how she challenged a student far above her capabilities?" Glynda questioned making Qrow pause. "Did he tell you that since then those two have become friends and the student who humbled your dear niece is now spending her time helping Yang get stronger? Did he tell you that I made my class more brutal to get them ready for a war that, let's face it, they will be a part of? Ozpin's plan won't work, you know it." Glynda said. "When he sees it, he'll get desperate and find more pawns. Do you not understand this or are you perhaps curious as to whether or not Yang and Ruby can make better birds than you and your sister."

Glynda saw the would-be punch coming a mile away.

The moment Qrow tensed, Glynda grabbed his hand tightly before he could do anything. Leaning forward, Glynda whispered into his ear.

"Don't make a scene you fool." Glynda said coldly, making him tense before he remembered where they were and nodded his head, forcing himself to calm down. "I crossed a line, I apologize. That said, you need to see the world for what it is. Don't let those girls or yourself be blinded by that old fool's light."

"So, what? Be blinded by yours? Is that the alternative?" Qrow asked darkly, only to make her laugh as she looked at him in amusement.

"God no. If it was _my_ light we'd all be dead, I could never be the one to lead my…side…in this war if you will."

"Who do you work for?"

"Do you really want to know?" Glynda asked curiously, making him nod before she smirked. "Then dance with me. Here is not the place for this discussion. We can go somewhere more private later and I'll tell you a _fairy tale_ that even the great Ozpin is ignorant to."

"What's to stop me from telling him what you told me? What's your insurance?" Qrow asked, knowing that there was always a catch to this sort of thing.

"You." Glynda said with a smirk and she giggled, actually giggled, at the look on his face. "You don't get it do you? Whatever dastardly plan you and Ozpin pictured I have for tonight? It succeeded the moment you agreed to come here. Everything else is just a formality, a way to enjoy my evening before my retirement."

"Retirement?" Qrow asked in confusion.

"You're taking my spot before the night is over, and not only will you do it, you'll fucking _thank_ _me_ for the opportunity." Glynda said before dragging Qrow to the dance floor. "Come. Let's kill some time, do a meet and greet when James makes his move, and you and I can have dinner or something elsewhere."

 **-Beacon: Roof-**

"Jaune was right, the view here is relaxing." Ren mused to himself as he sat down on the roof in a lotus position. Picking up a tea pot he had brought with him, he hummed to himself as he poured the hot liquid into a small cup while looking up at the fractured moon.

 **-Flashback: Empire of Rose: Five years before the fall of Empress Rose-**

 _ **BGM: Vague Hope (Cold Rain)- Nier Automata OST**_

 _ ***CRASH!***_

" _Damn it all! Why can't that idiot just wait!?"_ _The Empress snapped as Jaune stood silently, watching her vent. He glanced to the side where she had flipped over the war table before facing her again with a small frown. Taking a deep breath, the Empress stepped back and fell back to her throne, looking exhausted as she rubbed her temples. "Atlas can have all the independence it wants when Salem is dealt with, why does that fool want it now?"_

" _Ironwood believes that it will boost morale. That after reclaiming Atlas, having it stand on its own again will show that things are improving. That the world is going back to how it was." Jaune explained patiently as she looked up at him._

" _It is because of how the world_ _ **was**_ _that we are in this war to begin with."_

" _I am well aware." Jaune said before sighing. "Believe me, I tried talking him out of it but he and his men dead set on not only reclaiming Atlas but its independence as well."_

" _Jaune? Are you not my Knight Captain? Since when does his orders overrule yours?" The Empress asked impatiently, making Jaune sigh._

" _Never." Jaune said, his gaze hardening at the thought of his orders being disobeyed. "However, the hearts of men are fickle things. Pride is what drives them. Pride for their home."_

" _Their home which only barely exists because of me, because of us."_

" _Pride blinds people your majesty. Even with my orders I fear they will take matters into their own hands." Jaune explained making the Empress scowl, her gaze as hard as steel._

" _So, treason." Two words, two words that sent a chill down Jaune's spine as he heard the finality in her tone._

" _Your majesty–"_

" _What else would you call it, Jaune? He's disobeying a direct order from you…from me. He's standing against the empire to satisfy his own pride. He's feeding his ego–"_

" _It's deeper than that your majesty–"_

" _Is it?" The Empress asked curiously. "Tell me exactly what he's doing if not text-book treason."_

" _They're good men, you're majesty. They're just misguided." Jaune tried to defend his subordinates only for the Empress to shake her head._

" _He's stepped on my toes one too many times Jaune. I've tried time and time again to get him to fall in line. This…this is a betrayal that cannot easily be forgiven. He thinks he's saving Atlas but he's just helping divide us once again. We are unified under a single banner, Jaune. First it's Atlas, then it'll be Mistral and we haven't even reclaimed Vacuo yet. The crusade on Vacuo which you should be spending time preparing for but instead you're wasting your time defending a traitor."_

" _He's an honorable man, Ruby!"_

" _He's a liability, Knight!" The Empress snapped stunning both Jaune…and herself. "And you know it. Tell me this won't mess everything up? Look me in my eyes and tell me that, and I'll let this issue drop."_

 _Jaune couldn't meet her eyes._

" _Where do your loyalties lie, Jaune?" The Empress questioned actually making Jaune glare at her._

" _With you, always! How could you–" Jaune stopped when she raised her hand to silence him and gave him an apologetic smile._

" _You say he is blinded by pride but you're ignore how your adoration for those under your command blinds you. Ironwood is a man who took someone's synthetic daughter, turned her into a weapon, and then_ _ **tested**_ _her against other huntsmen in_ _ **training.**_ _And for what? To prove Atlas is filled with cheaters? How many civilians lost their lives due to his mistakes so far in this war? How many times has he stood in our way? Where exactly does your respect for this man stem from?" The Empress asked curiously. "He took Weiss from us, and now he plans to take away our home."_

" _So, what will you have me do? I can't lock him up, he has too many loyal to him. That will divide as much as liberating Atlas." Jaune revealed making Ruby hum in thought. Jaune was the tactician and leader on the battlefield in her absence, but when it came to upholding the Empire as a whole…_

… _that was the job of the Empress._

" _You'll do nothing. Prepare a crusade to Vacuo. Comb every settlement between here and their capital for traitors, spies, and eliminate them. Show the world the power of our army, your men. Make the planet itself tremble before your might Jaune. You promised me the world and I expect you to deliver. I need you to shine so bright that the world forgets about Ironwood. He is an issue that will solve itself." The Empress said, making Jaune frown a bit before nodding. "Prepare your troops and meet me when you're done so I can give you a proper farewell, I estimate you'll be gone for about a year."_

" _When will we depart?"_

" _First thing in the morning." The Empress said, making Jaune nod before he turned a way from her, his cape billowing behind him as he prepare to leave the Throne room. "Oh, and Jaune?" Ruby called out, making him pause. "Everything will work out, believe in me." The Empress said softly, making him glance back towards her._

" _Always." Jaune said before leaving as the Empress slumped in her chair and released a long breath. She hated when things got so tense between her and her knights. Every time she had to pull rank on them felt as though she were spitting on the years they spent together as equals._

 _Still they understood._

 _And she was always happy for that._

 _There was no place for friendship in this war, only results._

" _Ren." The Empress said suddenly, her voice and face growing cold as a pair of magenta eyes shone from a shadow behind the throne. Stepping from the shadows, Ren took a knee as she glanced down at him._

" _Yes, your majesty?"_

" _You and a few members of Black Rose are going on a trip to Atlas with Ironwood's task force." The Empress began. "Make it painless. He will be remembered as a Hero."_

" _Yes, your majesty." Ren said before walking back into the shadows._

 _ **-Flashback: END-**_

 **BGM: END**

 **-Present: Beacon: Roof-**

Ren frowned a bit when he noticed a slight ripple appear in his tea. Taking a sip, Ren said nothing for a moment as he closed his eyes before opening them.

"I was wondering when you would show up. Tea?" Ren asked as Blake rose up from a crouching position behind him, her weapon drawn.

"Who are you?"

"Lie Ren." Ren said honestly making Blake grit her teeth as she glowered at him, obviously not in the mood for his games.

"What do you want?"

"For Nora to stop eating my breakfast but unfortunately that will remain just a wish." Ren said, sighing a bit, before sipping his tea. He didn't as much as look at her when he heard her hiss angrily.

"You know what I mean! You said things to me, things you _knew_ Iwould hear but others wouldn't. The only way that's possible however, is if you knew things about me that you shouldn't?"

"What things are you referring to? Your favorite book or the real reason you like tuna so much?" Ren mused, sipping from his cup as a bullet whizzed past his head. Still, Ren didn't bat an eye as he continued drinking as if she hadn't fired a warning shot at him. "Please quit pretending as if you're actually going to do something." Ren said as he rose up and turned to face her.

…What Blake saw…

…Froze her in place.

 **BGM: Broken People- Logic & Rag'nBone Man**

Her eyes widened as Ren leveled the coldest and fiercest glare she had ever seen directed at any one, let alone her. Even Adam didn't terrify her as much as the man currently standing before her.

"First lesson. A weapon should never be drawn unless it is to be used." Ren said matter-of-factly as her hand began to tremble. "I've been around the world and seen a lot of things, which means, I know a lot of things as well. Belladonna, if you were going to hide your species you should have changed your name as well." Ren said with a scoff making Blake tense. "Or did you really think a bow was going to protect you forever."

"What do you want with me?" Blake asked making Ren roll his eyes, his cold expression replaced with one of mild annoyance as he turned away from her.

"Honestly? Nothing. I have no time for cowards." Ren said bluntly. "That said, the powers that be are forcing me to make sure you are a somewhat acceptable huntress so making you stronger is my one and only desire for you." This threw Blake for a loop as she looked at him in confusion, lowering her weapon.

"Make me stronger? Why?" Blake asked, not expecting that to be the motive behind the human who had discovered her true nature. "And what do you mean I'm a coward? You know nothing about me!"

"On the contrary, I know everything about you." Ren countered and the truth was he did. Even things he hadn't learned from the previous time-line, once given his current task he did his research on Blake.

Thorough research.

"Feline type Faunus, former member of the White Fang which isn't surprising considering your father once led it. Optimistic to a fault. Irrational fear of dogs– most likely due to your species, strange thing for blonds despite your previous situation with one Adam Taurus. And of course, cowardly to the point its pathetic." Ren finished as Blake looked at him incredulously at everything he listed. Shaking her head, she glared at him feeling both violated and angry.

"I am not a coward!"

"Then take off that bow." Ren countered swiftly, making her pause. "If I had it my way, I'd be training Velvet instead. At least she has the will to face the masses head on."

"You think I wear this bow out of fear?" Blake asked before shaking her head. "I wear it so that I can be judge by my personality and not my appearance."

"Is that what you tell yourself to sleep at night?" Ren asked curiously, making her grit her teeth. "If your personality isn't strong enough to shine out passed your appearance, you didn't have much of one to begin with."

"Excuse me!?"

"Did I stutter?" Ren asked, raising an eyebrow as he sipped his tea. "Also, if you do have a strong personality and are still judged first by your appearance, then whoever is judging you in the first place isn't worth it to begin with."

"You're just a human you don't get it–"

"Because you've done such a grand job, explaining it in the past right? Between you and me, I respect the White Fang more now than I did in the past." Ren said, obviously referring to their more violent approach which made Blake look at him incredulously. "Do I approve? No. As a human I fundamentally can't. That said, I can respect that they finally saw the truth. What's necessary to truly incite change."

"Violence is not the way–"

"Lesson two, you cannot prevent and prepare for war at he same time." Ren interrupted her, startling her with seriousness in his voice. "Equality will not be achieved without blood. You cannot solve things peacefully if there is no peace to begin with. This isn't a human thing, it isn't a Faunus thing, it's a people thing…and you can't change that." Ren said resolutely. "There are people in this world that will die a million deaths before even attempting to understand you or your point of view."

"People are not that bad!"

"Of course not, if the majority of people were that bad we'd all be dead a long time ago." Ren said but before Blake could say anything, he continued. "However, more often than not, it's the few bad that are in positions of power while the masses let them run amok through inaction and ignorance. As long as they aren't affected, they don't care. And even if they are, they'll wait for others to try and solve it for them instead. This is why I say I respect the current White Fang but cannot truly praise them. They have the right idea but their execution is horrible. They should be aiming at the corrupt humans in power, not the innocent yet they chose to work with corrupt humans to kill the innocent." Ren staid, stopping when he heard Blake gasp. "What? You aren't aware of that?"

Looks like he might have gotten some dates wrong.

Oh well.

"What are you talking about?" Blake asked breathlessly, as if wanting to believe Ren had just told her a lie. Yet, even if she hated what he was saying, he said it with such ease and conviction that she could tell he saw his own words as truth.

"I've seen a lot of things, traveling with Nora and Jaune, Blake." Ren said quietly. "But nothing made me sicker than seeing the White Fang buy weapons and Dust from the likes of Roman Torchwick." Ren said, recalling one of the weapon trades he, Jaune, and Nora stumbled across before they attended Beacon this time around.

"You're lying." Blake said, frowning as she looked at him. "It doesn't matter which Kingdom you're in. If you saw and reported something like that it would have been all over the news, across the globe."

"Well…that's because we didn't report it. What good would that do? That wouldn't stop the transfer of weapons or the deaths that would follow. Not to mention without proof we would be ignored regardless." Ren said as he shook his head. "No, we dealt with that transaction then and there."

"You…you can't be saying…" Blake trailed off as she took a step back away from Ren.

"What? That we disposed of a group of terrorists? Monsters? Unfortunately, Torchwick got away thanks to a partner of his, but only they got away. Believe me, Blake, our actions were not driven by race. Both Humans and Faunus fell by our weapons." Ren continued.

"Shut up…"

"We are true believers of equality."

"Shut up!"

"We didn't tell anyone, we broke a lot of laws by acting without a license. That said, we did what any professional huntsman would have. Or did you assume Huntsmen only fought Grimm?" Ren asked curiously as Blake trembled. "You picked the wrong career if you tried to run from whatever war you did. All you did was put yourself on the frontlines of whatever is coming." Ren explained simply. "This is why each of my teammates picked one of you to look after, to train."

"What?" Blake asked before her eyes widened as she realized that her teammates had all been befriended more to different members of JNPR. She thought of Jaune and Ruby's friendship, the time Yang spent with Nora and asked her for advice. She even thought about the earlier fight between Weiss and Pyrrha and how they seemingly made up.

And now she stood before Ren.

Her team had all been unknowingly part of some plan or another and by the time she found out it was too late. Team RWBY got along as well as expected but they weren't incredibly close besides Yang and Ruby for obvious reasons. Each one of them, besides her, would value their friendship with a particular member of JNPR over her.

It was her word against theirs.

That was not something she would win.

"What are you after?" Blake asked the futile question one more time. Her voice shaking as her eyes watered a bit while Ren softened his expression.

"To help you."

It made Blake sick how much she honestly believed his words.

"Blake, you're in the center of something that you simply cannot handle. Especially not with how weak we both know you are." Ren said as he placed a hand on her shoulder. "You tried to escape it, the chaos, the bloodshed, but you just moved deeper. If you want, I could tell you _**everything.**_ But there is no going back. I care for you very much as a friend, Blake. However, if you were to run after I told you the truth…" Ren trailed off as his tightened his grip slightly, making her shudder.

He didn't have to finish his statement.

She knew very well that he would end her if she ran with confidential knowledge.

She saw how powerful Nora and Pyrrha were. Jaune was the only one foolish enough to openly challenge Pyrrha numerous times and the way Pyrrha treated them as legitimate proposals only meant she not only knew but respected his unseen strength. Ren, however, was an anomaly.

One she didn't want to test.

She was cornered now and only two paths now laid out before her.

Fight or flight.

So she did what she always did.

She flew.

Ren just sighed when the shoulder he was holding was replaced with one of Blake's clones that soon vanished.

 **BGM: END**

"Well, A for effort." A familiar voice said making Ren groan as he found Jaune leaning against a nearby wall.

"Don't say a word." Ren muttered making Jaune snort. "Train Blake you all said, she'll be the easiest, you all said." Ren mocked as he began walking away as Jaune chuckled a bit. "If she runs into town, tonight of all nights, she might run into Nora."

"Good. Power wise, Blake might be the weakest in RWBY but she's like you. Resilient in a way the others aren't, if anyone would be the first to come into the inner circle or at least know more than the others, it's her."

"Agreed." Ren said before vanishing into the darkness as Jaune looked back up at the broken moon.

"Well Glynda, hopefully you are having a better night."

 **-Vale: Capital Building-**

"Let's make a deal, shall we?" Glynda suggested suddenly after glancing towards the side and seeing James making his way towards one of the Councilors.

"Deal?"

"Yes, though we can also consider this a stress test of your love of your family." Glynda said as Qrow followed her line of sight, frowning when he saw James as well.

"What are you getting on about?"

"Right now, James is about to step on not only Ozpin's toes, but mine as well. You of all people know how stubborn he is concerning his military. If he weasels a way in for his army to get inside Vale's walls for the festival…well…things will get a lot harder for Ozpin and myself."

"So, what? You want me to try to stop him? Not sure if you noticed, my word won't exactly have as much weight as his." Qrow pointed out before raising an eyebrow. "You mentioned a deal. What exactly do I get out of this? Ozpin's plans might get messed up, but if yours do as well it might just have to be an acceptable loss."

 _ **[For god's sake Glynda, smile. You attract more bees with honey that way. We can't expand much further if you scare off everyone.]**_

"Is that so?" Glynda questioned with a small smile as she recalled Jaune's words. Her expression got underneath Qrow's skin in a way he did not enjoy. It was as if no matter what he did or said, Glynda continued to carry herself as if she had already won.

The fact he had yet to figure out what she had "won" only irritated him further.

"I do not need you to put your word against his so to speak. Merely back me up if you will. My word has enough weight in Vale to counter James'. That said, you showing your support will make things go smoother. You may not be in a place of power, but your reputation is quite known amongst the higher ups. Don't sell yourself short." Glynda explained, her smile never wavering.

"What do I get out of this?"

"Information and peace of mind. Face it, we both know you're not exactly fond of how close I am to your family while my loyalties seem ambiguous to you." Glynda said as she saw the man tense. "Suppose I am suddenly "evil" you know how strong I am, yet even Ozpin himself can't separate a "threat" like me from your nieces." Glynda stopped talking as Qrow grasped her chin with a bit more force than she deemed necessary, but he managed to keep up their outside appearance even as she saw hatred burning in his eyes.

"Don't play with me. I'd hate to do something I wouldn't regret." Qrow whispered darkly, making her grin.

"I was being purely hypothetical, though your reaction is just what I was hoping for. You follow Ozpin, but not blindly, even you have things you will put in front of him." Glynda said, almost sweetly as Qrow cursed-realizing he had somehow been played again. "Every man has a price, Qrow, and yours is your family."

"Are you threatening them?"

"On the contrary, I'm hoping to promise you the ability to make sure as little harm as possible falls upon them when they inevitably get thrown into this war." Glynda said as she stared up into his eyes. Suddenly, Qrow's eyes widened incredulously as he saw her irises become filled with a shining silver.

A very familiar silver.

"There is still so much about this world you need to know, things you would never think possible and I can show it all to you. Give you things you never thought possible." Glynda said as her eyes returned to normal, as if they had never changed as she leant forward and whispered into his ear. "All you have to do is play your part."

"What are you?" Qrow muttered, memories of Summer flashing through his mind before he shook his head. Intertwining her fingers with his, she led him towards James and the councilor.

"Follow me and found out." Glynda said making him narrow his eyes before silently following after her.

He was an information gatherer after all.

 **-With James-**

"Once more, though I am sympathetic with your concern for your students in these…trying…times. The Council of Vale cannot simply allow you to bring your army within our walls without a justifiable cause." The Councilor said with a sigh as James opened his mouth to retort, however, before he could another voice interrupted them.

"A wise decision, councilor." Glynda said approvingly as she approached them with Qrow in tow.

"Glynda, Qrow, I was just–"

"Going behind Oz's back, we saw." Qrow said dryly not exactly sure if he was more irritated with Glynda or Ironwood at the moment.

"Ah, Ms. Goodwitch, I was just telling our esteemed guest here that we would be unable to accept his request to let his army occupy Vale." The Councilor said as he greeted Huntress.

"As you should. I understand his…unease…and desire for increased security. In fact, I agree with it." Glynda stated, suprising the other three. "That said, we need men and women…not his toys." Glynda said, offending James who looked at her with a frown.

"Atlesian technology is arguably the best in the world–"

"Correct, however, despite the caliber of your _weaponry_ , if the person wielding them is not up to par then what good is it?" Glynda countered smoothly. "Atlas, without a doubt, has the edge when it comes to their technological advancement and resources but if that was all that mattered we'd all be living very dull lives now as the Great War would have ended much differently."

"She has a point." Qrow spoke up, a bitter taste in his mouth as he realized he meant that. Glynda smiled brightly at him as he turned away from her and faced the councilor. "Men and women win wars, and out of all the Kingdoms, Vale definitely has the best of those. If the festival requires additional protection then you shouldn't look any further than your own borders."

"Hm, wait. You're Qrow Branwen aren't you?" The Councilor asked suddenly making Qrow nod. "Ha! You have been quite a source of pride for our Kingdom. I am glad you decided to remain with Vale despite the…unfortunate…events surrounding your team."

"What can I say? Vale has the best drinks." Qrow said with a shrug, making the Councilor chuckle.

"That it does, that it does."

"Back on topic though, Goodwitch is right. Your main concern is not alarming the civilians, right? Well bringing a fleet inside Vale will definitely make them start wondering things. Like why the hell is there an army needed to attend such an event if we are at a time of peace. Or more importantly, why is it another Kingdom's army." Qrow explained, making the Councilor frown as he thought over Qrow's words.

"The less information are enemies have, the better." Glynda continued. "If they were to see the Atlesian fleet they could become desperate and do something just as desperate to our citizens. That is a recipe for disaster when you factor the Grimm roaming outside our walls. At least with our own Huntsmen we can hide them amongst the crowd and leave our people none the wiser."

"Hm, you've given me much to think about." The Councilor said as he rubbed his chin in thought, however, James soon interrupted with his own thoughts.

"With all due respect, Councilor, do you think your Huntsmen will be enough? Times of peace have made not just your people, but all people across the Kingdoms lax. It's why Atlas is so dependent on our technology. If, in the worst-case scenario, something major does happen. Will they be strong enough to fend off such a threat that we know is waiting?"

"Yes." Glynda said firmly, before the Councilor could respond. Silently, he turned to Glynda as she explained. "This year I've taken the liberty of re-instating war-time training methods for my students across all four years."

"Excuse me!?" The Councilor said alarmed as both Qrow and James looked at her in shock.

"You cannot prepare and prevent for war at the same time. Do you know who told me that?" Glynda asked suddenly. "A current first year student of mine named Lie Ren who hails from Mistral or more accurately, Kuroyuri." Glynda said, making the men pale.

"My word, I didn't think there were any survivors." The Councilor said, looking aghast.

"There was, he and an orphan girl who wandered into the city named Nora Valkyrie survived that hell and had been living on their own, traveling throughout Mistral for almost a decade now. They met another student of mine, one Jaune Arc. The three have lived in the wilds of Mistral under his lead for nearly a year now." Glynda said as she crossed her arms. "All three of these brave children-no-warriors chose to attend Beacon where they met their fourth member, Pyrrha Nikos who, despite her fame and glory, hails from the slums of Mistral. The lowest, of the lowest levels." Glynda said as her gaze hardened. "These four are currently the strongest team Beacon has to offer and they are _first_ years."

"An…interesting tale, but what point are you trying to make?" James asked with a frown as Glynda leveled him with a stare that could have frozen hell itself.

"That even though we live in peace, many still fight every day to survive. The myth that peace makes weak people is just that, a myth. Because there has never, not once, been _peace._ Just the absence of war. Life made these first years as capable as some veteran Huntsmen and do you know what they have done with this power?" Glynda asked rhetorically. "They _passed it on_ to the other students, most notably to the second best team of their year, Team RWBY. A team that has two members that are the legacy of team STRQ, one of which who was accepted two years early by Ozpin himself and leads them. They also have a Schnee Heiress, and a Belladonna."

"You have a Belladonna in your school!?" James asked incredulously and it was only thanks to the music that no one heard him. The only notable Belladonnas in the world could be found in the Menagerie. Ghira was a man both feared and respected amongst Huntsmen both human and not.

"That's…that's quite the lineup. Two survivors of Kuroyuri, Mistral's champion, all led by an Arc. Not to mention the STRQ descendants, a Schnee heiress, and a Belladonna…." The Councilor muttered to himself, his eyes narrowed and James wasn't sure he liked what he saw the Councilor formulating in his head. It was no secret that Huntsmen became extremely attached to the Kingdom they studied in, even if it wasn't their home.

Qrow was proof of that.

This was why every school tried to be as appealing as possible, even sacrificing the curriculum in order to get major applicants to come to them. Those eight students, should they have been anywhere else would have been coddled like no tomorrow.

Treated with unhidden favoritism

And all eight of them chose to attend Beacon.

This was, without a doubt, one of the few power moves Glynda actually applauded Ozpin for. The calculations and precise planning to make that happen was nothing short of a miracle.

She still remembered the _days_ of negotiation it took for Ozpin to get Pyrrha's manager to agree to let her go to Beacon.

"So, as you can see, there lies a potential in this year of students that should be brought out to its fullest. You know the power one huntsman can wield, Councilor. These eight are on track to being the best in Vale's _history_ and _all_ of them are quite fond of Vale despite the intensity of my lessons. I dare say, they like Beacon even more because of it." Glynda said as a gleam appeared in the Councilor's eyes while James mentally cursed.

He was so caught up in maintaining his military that he forgot about the students themselves.

As revolutionary and gifted as Penny was, the fact that a Schnee had slipped through his grasp was inexcusable.

The SDC was one tax law away from moving as it was, if Atlas were to lose them they'd lose a lot of power.

In a way, Glynda almost felt a bit bad. In a few minutes, eight of her students had just become some of the most important resources between two Kingdoms in a time of "peace". One Kingdom doomed to never have them, another Kingdom under the illusion that they already had them.

At the end of the day those eight belonged under the Banner of Rose and nothing else.

"Glynda." The Councilor suddenly spoke up, a smirk on his face as he decided to forego any pretense of formality. "Keep up the good work."

"Of course, Councilor." Glynda said politely. "Though I may need your support concerning Ozpin, he hasn't exactly been…supportive…of my reinstatement of the more questionable teaching methods."

"Whatever you need, let me know. Those aren't children, they're Huntsmen under our banner and it will do that old fool some good to remember that." The Councilor said bluntly, making Qrow bristle though he barely managed to keep his cool as Glynda grabbed his hand reassuringly.

She was playing the Councilor, he knew that.

Hell, she was playing _everyone._

It frustrated Qrow to no end that all he could do was watch it play out as his family was used as bargaining chips.

"Thank you–"

"I don't believe it."

"Believe what?" Glynda asked with a frown as glanced at James, having a feeling the man was going to make one last desperate attempt to get his.

"That you would act this independently of Ozpin, no, this is just another plan of his to try to stop me from doing the right thing isn't it?" James questioned, making the Councilor frown in thought.

"On the contrary, I mean everything I say." Glynda said, realizing what James was doing. He must have realized just how much was truly at stake now. "The students, across all four years, have shown nothing but pure progress. Some fourth years even wanting to stay over the summer for additional lessons." Glynda revealed. "They won't benefit as much as the other years but it is a testament to how much the students dislike Ozpin's coddling. In fact, I dare say any of my students could best anyone in your military." Glynda said, making James smirk.

An expression she fought hard not to mirror.

Hook.

Line.

And sinker.

"Is that right? Then how about a wager then. I'm sure the esteemed Councilor here would like some proof of your claims." James said as he folded his hands behind his back. "I will choose one person from my Military against…let's say…two of your students? A match that will work with rules not unlike those of the Vytal festival. You may pick any two students except those belonging to your top first year team. After all, if they are as capable as fully trained huntsmen then it wouldn't be fair right?"

"As much as I would love to see the look on your face when you lose, what exactly do I get out of cutting time out of my curriculum for this farce?" Glynda wondered curiously, making James smile in way that made Qrow grit his teeth. Gripping his hand tighter, Glynda prayed that Yang's explosive anger actually didn't stem from her Uncle.

She was close.

Very close to achieving one of her more important goals for the evening.

All Qrow had to do was stay silent just a little longer.

"How about this, the winner gets to take on one student of their choosing from the other's school?" James suggested. Truth be told, he had no really notable students this year besides Penny and he made every effort to keep any information concerning her away from Ozpin and the others.

For all intents and purposes, they didn't even know Penny existed.

So, he arguably had nothing to lose…

…that said, the way Glynda grinned at him suddenly made him want to rethink that.

"Fine then, I accept, if only to show the Councilor here that I meant everything I said. I don't exaggerate and have no time for meaningless posturing." Glynda said before extending a hand towards James. "The beginning of second semester is when this match shall take place, my schedule this semester is too full to make room. It will be recorded so that the Council can see the current state of Beacon's students. Deal?"

"…Deal…" James muttered as he shook her hand. He didn't like this, not one bit. Part of him believed what he was saying and that he had caught on to one of Ozpin's schemes. After all he, like Qrow, didn't want to believe that Glynda had suddenly gone AWOL.

Now he wasn't so sure.

He also didn't like the feeling that Glynda had just won something he couldn't identify.

"Excellent. Now as exciting as this conversation was, gentlemen. I do have a date I would like to finish. Excellent ball as always, Councilor." Glynda praised the man before quickly reassuring him that Beacon was going to end up with another fine addition before the end of the school year. As she walked away with Qrow, Qrow couldn't help but ask.

"What the hell was that?"

"Politics. Rest assured, Qrow, your nieces aren't going anywhere. His sights are most definitely on the Schnee heiress." Glynda said nonchalantly. "She, too, will remain at Beacon. I meant what I said, the first year is strong. The only one losing here will be James."

"What. Are. You. After?" Qrow asked through gritted teeth, he had no idea how many times he asked that question both out loud and internally that evening. He praised himself for his ability to gather intel, the fact he had yet to find a concrete answer to one of the most basic of questions was getting to him.

"The same thing Ozpin is. The only difference is the way I choose to approach it." Came Glynda's calculated response and Qrow knew it was a calculated one as well.

How?

Because for the first time it made him wonder…

…what the _hell_ did Ozpin _want?_

 **-Beacon-**

Pyrrha and Weiss made their way to the school's gym after spending most of the day in town. In that time, they talked about life and various other things to get to know each other better before they would begin what Weiss could only assume would be the training from hell. It was an eye-opening experience for Weiss as she realized that Pyrrha, like she first assumed, was a genuinely nice person…

…in her own prideful and condescending bitch-like way.

Pyrrha said things how it was and didn't hesitate to call a duck a duck which was a level of bluntness Weiss wasn't accustomed to but welcomed.

She thought she knew what tough love was thanks to Winter…

…boy was she wrong.

"So, what are we doing today?" Weiss asked curiously as she finished a milkshake they had gotten from a restaurant and tossed it into a nearby trashcan as they walked.

"We'll keep it to a light sparring session to better evaluate your level. We can get into the nitty gritty tomorrow. It's been a long day for you after all." Pyrrha said before frowning a bit as she looked at the hair tie Weiss was wearing to keep her hair in its usual pony tail. For once Pyrrha felt a little bad for what she had done, but it didn't last long as she reached into her bag and presented Weiss with her crown which was in perfect condition. "By the way, here you go."

"What?" Weiss asked curiously before her eyes widened in surprise when she saw her crown. "But? How?" Pyrrha smirked as she used her semblance to crush the crown before using it again to repair it once more.

"You can fix anything if you know the right method." Pyrrha said smugly before handing it to Weiss. "Here, went a bit too far. This seemed like it was important to you." Pyrrha said apologetically as Weiss stared at the crown in disbelief.

 _ **[Crowns should be earned, not bought.]**_

Weiss tensed for a moment as she recalled the words of the woman in front of her before gently placing her hand on the crown.

"No." Weiss began, gently pushing the object back towards Pyrrha. "Hold on to that until I've earned it." Weiss continued softly, suprising Pyrrha whom just nodded approvingly and placed the crown back in her bag. She was amazed at how well an ass beating helped with Weiss' humility and overall personality. "I trust you to let me know when that is."

"Sure, you'll definitely know when." Pyrrha said with a smile as they made it to the gym's entrance.

 **-Vale: The Rose Garden-**

 **BGM: Paralyzed (Mystery Skulls cover)- Ken Ashcorp**

Qrow expected a lot of ways for this "date" to continue after that run-in with James. However, the one thing he didn't expect was for Glynda to completely ditch the rest of the ball and drag him to a night club down town.

"You know, I thought I've been to every club in this city." Qrow mused as Glynda downed her drink before ordering another one. The bartender, Junior, didn't even bother to ask her what she wanted as he went to get her another one.

"You probably have, this club isn't new just…under new management." Glynda said after a moment of thought as Junior nervously placed a new drink in front of her before scurrying off to the other patrons. "Order what you want, my treat, It's the least I can do for having you accompany me this evening and having you help me out."

"Is that right?" Qrow asked and couldn't help but snort before sipping his drink.

"It is, I've gotten a lot done this evening. You just might be my good luck charm." Glynda teased making him roll his eyes.

"That's a first. You know, I almost hate to break it to you but if you were with me the whole evening, I doubt any of your plans went how you expected them to." Qrow pointed out, deciding to remind her about who exactly she was with.

To his surprise she just laughed lightly in response.

"No, I think because I was with you they went exactly how I wanted. Please don't tell me you haven't noticed yet?" Glynda questioned making him frown in confusion. "Close your eyes, feel your aura, you might be surprised at what you find." Narrowing his eyes, Qrow glanced around the club before proceeding to do just that.

Closing his eyes he reached out to his aura.

He could feel it protecting him as it always had.

Him and him alone.

However, before he opened his eyes he stopped as he felt something else…

…something over his….

…not directly on top of his aura but just far enough above it that he wouldn't feel it unless he actively looked for it.

He felt…

…Glynda's.

" _What?"_ Qrow wondered, his eyes snapping open as he faced her. Qrow always knew Glynda had more aura than him, but not much more. To completely shield his and consequently trap the effects of his Semblance required not only an excessive amount of concentration, but at least as much aura as he himself wielded within his body which meant one thing…

…Glynda had been practically defenseless the entire evening…

…not only that, but he knew she must have been exhausted as well.

"You're an idiot." Qrow muttered quietly. "You could keel over at any moment, you do realize that, right?"

"Oh, I am quite aware. You've been working out Qrow, you have a bit more aura than I expected." Glynda mused. "If I do pass out, be a dear and sneak me back into campus. My room should be unlocked. You've surely had enough practice doing that during your years at Beacon."

"Or I could leave your scheming ass knocked out." Qrow added making her chuckle.

"You could." Glynda agreed before lightly bumping his shoulder with her's. "But then again, you're just not that type of person are you?" Glynda asked as she looked up into his eyes. "Despite how much you try to hide it, you are an incurably good man aren't you?"

"I'm a lot of things." Qrow said, avoiding her question making her smile sadly.

"We all are." Glynda said before Qrow suddenly felt her aura expanding away from himself and surrounding both of them. Her aura seemed to harden a bit as the sounds of the club became muffled.

"You've gotten very good at manipulating aura."

"Can't take credit for it, sometimes as a teacher you end up learning more from your students than you manage to teach them." Glynda said as Jaune flashed through her mind. "I treat them equally, but I'd be a liar if I didn't have a favorite or two. One of them, in particular, I view as a son but you didn't hear that from me."

"Of course not." Qrow drawled as he thought of his nieces. He tried to treat all the students of Signal equally. He and Tai both did, but if they said they hadn't showed favoritism towards their girls he'd be a liar. "A kid taught you how to do this? He must have one hell of an aura."

"Indeed, so much so that I like to keep its true nature a secret. Many are under the illusion its above average in its amount and that his Semblance is a Shield. That, however, is just how he manipulates his aura. The truth is his real amount is, quite frankly, mind boggling. His true Semblance is the amplification of another's which help keeps the illusion of his "Shield"."

"An amp?" Qrow asked, his eyes widening. "It's the Arc kid, isn't it?"

"Who else?" Glynda asked as she sipped her drink. "Ozpin doesn't even know its true nature."

"But you told me."

"I trust you." Glynda explained matter-of-factly. "You're overdue for an explanation, so allow me to tell you of a fairy tale Ozpin hasn't told you."

"I'm listening."

"Once upon a time, when the world was on brink of succumbing to an evil we both knew all too well."

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Human Legacy-Ivan Torrent**

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **A young girl stood on the front lines, surrounded by the bodies of those she held dearest.**_

 _Ruby fell to her knees as she looked at the destruction of Vale, her eyes shadowed by her bangs even as hot tears poured down her cheek._

 _ **Still...despite the pain…**_

… _ **the agony….**_

… _ **she held on to hope.**_

 _A massive Salem erupted from the ruins of Vale, monstrous and demonic in her appearance she released an ear-splitting roar. Struggling to her feet, Ruby gripped Crescent Rose tightly and prepared for one final battle as her eyes began to shine._

… _ **Through a miracle, that hope manifested itself into the form of a seed. Planting this seed created a garden, a small but safe haven from the evil. So captivated by its humble beauty, one of her few remaining allies decided then and there to protect both it and her.**_

 _A battered Jaune struggled to his feet behind Ruby, like her his eyes were shadowed but soon twin flames of silver erupted from them._

 _ **Through his devotion…**_

… _ **he would become the first.**_

 _Salem released a massive blow towards Ruby however, before it could connect, it was blocked by a shining shield that sent the demonic woman reeling backwards in pain while the garden continued to grow._

" _ **The first what?"**_

 _ **Knight.**_

 _Clad in a blinding suit of armor, Jaune turned around and scooped Ruby up into his arms before retreating from the battle._

 _ **He would force the girl away from the frontlines, physically carrying her away. As they fled, more seeds appeared and the Knight realized that the girl would need more land to plant them, to grow her garden. He promised then and there to give her as much as he could…**_

… _ **he would deliver to her the world.**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **A promise he kept.**_

 _Jaune stood in front of a massive war table with a smirk, as he placed the empires banner on another captured territory._

 _ **However, he wouldn't be enough. You know the tale of the maidens. Though all of them did not fall to the evil, that did not mean they aligned themselves with the girl. The girl's response?**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **Make her own.**_

 _Nora walked forward slowly, lightning crackling off her body. The power she emitted, disintegrating the ground around her as she walked towards Cinder, Raven, and two other silhouettes with a grin on her face._

 _ **A single maiden, with more power than the original four that wielded a strength that did not come from magic but rather will. A natural born legend. She would become the second.**_

" _ **Knight?"**_

 _ **You're catching on.**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **Territory, resources, people, you name it and the two Knights delivered it the girl. Shortly after the second, she'd pick up a third Knight. You can think of him as a gardener of sorts.**_

 _A slightly older Ruby hummed to herself as she tended to her rose garden._

" _ **Why a gardener? Wasn't the girl already one?"**_

 _ **Yes, but she saw all things in her garden as beautiful and thus lacked the tools necessary to remove the weeds. The weeds threatened to destroy the garden, but thanks to him he preserved its beauty and helped in flourish.**_

 _Frowning when she saw a weed, Ruby pulled it out before glancing up into a nearby tree where Ren sat lazily. The two's eyes met for a moment before he nodded and vanished._

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **Many people became envious and awed by the beauty of the garden being built. They looked to the girl for advice, tips, and even leadership in hopes of finding their own garden in a world filled with evil. A daunting task that she was not prepared for until she took on a fourth knight.**_

 _Ruby sat silently as Glynda taught her the do's and don'ts of leadership._

 _ **This knight, however, would prove to be the young girl's undoing. You see this knight was nothing more than a replacement, a replacement for a far greater mentor to the girl that had long since passed. Her intentions were good, but this fourth knight made a fatal mistake and cut out what she thought was a weed but was, in all actuality, a root…one that was essential to the garden's survival.**_

 _Empress Rose said nothing as she upheld the illusion of perfection, even as her soul cracked with every decision. Every day her heart grew colder and despite the continued beauty of her garden, she was all too aware that the garden as dying._

 _ **Gone was the girl and in her place an Empress. Eventually the evil which had been pushed back by the flourishing garden would make one last desperate attempt to destroy the garden. An attempt that would succeed as the girl-turned-Empress died alone, broken, leaving behind a cursed garden that would grow out of control in her absence despite the garden's thorns bringing an end to the evil.**_

 _Empress Rose laid on the floor of her throne room, lifelessly as Glynda clenched her fists so hard they bled._

 _It was her fault._

 _It was all her fault._

 **-Present-**

 **BGM: END**

"Interesting story, but where exactly does this all fit in?" Qrow asked making Glynda give him a tired smile.

"That's the beauty of this tale, it hasn't happened yet." Glynda said, confusing Qrow as a sinking feeling began to fill his stomach. "You see, the Empress left one last gift for her Knights. Seeds to plant a new garden, a better one. The problem was however, that only place to plant them was occupied by the previous garden."

"So, what did they do?"

"Set it ablaze." Glynda said quietly, her eyes becoming unfocused for a moment as she got lost in her memories. "All their progress, their hard work, undone so that they could make something better. The garden burned to ash, taking with it the entire world. And in the ashes, the Knights found the girl once more and though the evil was brought back with her, they saw an opportunity to change things for the better.

"This garden…what type of garden was it?" Qrow asked impatiently, his temper flaring as Glynda gazed at him sadly.

"A _rose_ garden."

 _ ***CRASH*  
**_

Qrow's glass shattered in his hand as he abruptly stood up, his aura flaring suddenly to the point it shattered Glynda's and sent his Semblance flying out throughout the club. Records skipped, dancers fell, and dishes broke as he turned to leave. He didn't get far however, when Glynda gripped his wrist tightly.

"Let go of me! I listened to enough of this nonsense!" Qrow snapped as sounds of confusion echoed throughout the club as they tried to figure out what the hell happened to them.

"You know, in your heart, that I'm telling the truth." Glynda said seriously. "She needs you, Qrow. You have _always_ been the one more suited for watching over her. Guiding her."

"I told you to get off of me." Qrow ordered as he tried to yank his wrist free, however, thanks to her grip that only served to bring her closer to him.

"Look at me, Qrow." Glynda ordered, her eyes turning silver and beginning to glow as the sick feeling he had only worsened. The silver in her eyes now was all too familiar and all he could do was shake his head slowly. "Look at me and see the truth, see _**what I see when I look at you."**_ Glynda said firmly and just like that, time seemed to stop as Qrow found himself drawn into her eyes.

 **-?-**

"Ugh…where…where the hell am I?" Qrow wondered as he rubbed his before looking around at his surroundings. He was on a white walkway that led to a large white door with an all too familiar rose emblem etched into it. His stomach dropped at the sight.

"My mind. If you don't want to listen to me, perhaps you'll listen to Rose herself?" Glynda asked as she made her way towards the massive door while Qrow looked at her in confusion.

"What do you mean ask her?"

"Exactly what it sounds like, behind this door you can talk to her…however, I must warn you. If you are expecting a warm welcome, you are mistaken. When Rose left this part of herself within me, it was during a dark era of her reign." Glynda said quietly. "A time where desperation and frustration were high. Years later she would overcome this and return to being our benevolent ruler, but the woman you may see…look just mind your words." Glynda warned sternly as she placed her hands on the massive door as Qrow walked behind her.

 _ ***Thoom***_

When the doors opened, Glynda and Qrow made their way into a large throne room. Once they entered, Qrow froze, his breath stopping as he stared in morbid fascination at the sight before him. There, resting on a large throne before him was a woman that looked all too familiar.

"S-summer?" Qrow gasped out, his stomach churning as he realized that no. He was not staring at Summer.

He was staring at Ruby.

"Hm?" The Empress wondered as she opening her silver eyes that pierced right through Qrow's very soul. Her gaze was like staring into a mirror as even from a distance, he could see himself reflected clearly. Glynda quickly knelt as the Empress swept her gaze down upon her advisor. "So, you've made a decision then?"

"Yes, Qrow is everything needed to ensure the best possible outcome. He can simply relate to your heir in a way I can't and prevent repeating many of the mistakes I've made." Glynda said with a palpable level of honesty. "To be frank, your majesty, this should have been his job in the first place."

"It should have been, shouldn't it?" The Empress said quietly, though her voice reverberated throughout the room and carried a weight that was foreign to Qrow. It was as if through her voice alone, she could convey her power and Qrow had a difficult time reconciling the being before him with his niece.

But at the same time, he knew it was her without a shadow of a doubt.

Standing up, the Empress strolled towards them, her hands folded behind her back before she stopped before them. She took a moment to simply gaze upon Qrow, looking at him with an almost childlike curiosity that was barely held back.

"Ruby–" Qrow was stopped as the Empress shushed him quietly as she took in the sight of him for a moment longer.

"Amazing." The Empress said as she grasped the side of his face gently, staring into the eyes she had known all too well before releasing him. "Unfortunately, his services will no longer be required." The Empress revealed making Glynda tense and Qrow couldn't help but notice the expression of genuine terror on Glynda's face.

It was as if these were something she expected as a possibility but prayed she would never hear.

"Your majesty?"

"Change of plans, I've been watching on since you came to this time-line. I am disappointed by the amount of inaction I have been seeing from my once fierce Knights."

"Your majesty, these things take time–"

"–Time we cannot afford to be wasting twiddling our thumbs." The Empress interrupted smoothly and Qrow could see an emotion he never expected to see from his niece.

Pure.

Cold.

Fury.

Her expression was almost calm, but one look into her eyes was enough to convey her rage and by the way Glynda began to tremble, he suspected that she could feel it.

"I left you in charge, what have you done to my knights?" The Empress asked coldly. "My Battle Master would have decimated numerous strongholds of our enemies by now, yet you've only just now sent her on her first mission?"

"Your–"

"Silence! Do not speak when I am speaking!" The Empress boomed and even Qrow couldn't help but flinch back. "Why does Vale still have a council? Did you, forget how to utilize Ren's skill set? You have the perfect soldier in the form of Pyrrha, the one thing you did right. So why is she not yet on the frontlines? Do not even get me started on my Knight Captain. Jaune the conqueror once hand delivered me the world yet now all I see is a broken man wearing his face. Why have you taken it upon yourself to ruin my knights and spit on my legacy? Speak!"

"T-there is no need for unnecessary bloodshed. We did not need to start a war the moment we returned! If we did what you suggested the world would be in chaos and Salem could utilize that and end us even faster!"

"The world is already in chaos you idiot." The Empress said, her eyes shining menacingly. "You have disappointed me for the last time. A relic like Ironwood, you should have been disposed of the moment your use ran out. Take me to my counterpart, I will rebuild my Empire myself." The Empress ordered making Glynda tremble even more as the Empress shook her head. "I'm sorry you had to witness that Uncle, when I return to my body we can–"

"You can't." Glynda said quietly, her voice a hoarse whisper as she practically choked on her own words.

Silence.

The temperature immediately plummeted as the Empress' gaze rested up Glynda, her face filled with wonder. Her eyes wide as if she were looking at Glynda for the first time as Glynda rose to her feet and stared at the Empress with eyes filled with tears that refused to fall.

"You can't." Glynda repeated more firmly.

"Do…do you not remember the definition of treason?" The Empress questioned with morbid curiosity.

"I do."

"Do you not realize that it is a death sentence in a time of war?" The Empress asked quietly as Glynda nodded.

"I do."

"Why…" The Empress trailed off, a single tear falling from her right eye as she gently grasped the side of Glynda's face. "…why do you seek death?" The Empress questioned, sending a chill down Qrow's spine as Glynda struggled to not flinch away from the Empress' touch.

"I don't, but I've received strict orders to never let you return." Glynda revealed, making the Empress gasp before her expression shifted into one of pure hatred.

"Under who's authority?"

"Yours." Glynda said quietly, her voice trembling as the Empress blinked. Swallowing, Glynda explained. "Her majesty realized she was becoming a monster, a tyrant worse than Salem. The little amount of light remaining in her dying heart drove her to make the decision to remove the growing darkness inside her. As a result, the light could grow once more inside her and she could lead the Empire into prosperity for a few more years.

"This…this is a cell." The Empress almost choked out as she glanced around the mindscape. A cruel realization occurring to her. "You betrayed me."

"I followed my orders…you…you are a result of my failures as a teacher. In a way your _existence_ is my betrayal, not your incarceration, and that is a sin for which I can never repent–"

 _ ***CRUNCH*  
**_

"Glynda!" Qrow shouted in horror as the Empress ran her hand straight through Glynda's chest making the woman double over as the Empress' eyes shone brightly. Glynda gasped as she looked down at the arm piercing her, the speed in which Ruby attack her had run the arm straight through her chest and out of her back.

"You must have forgotten why I am the Empress, you old fool. Did you think you could contain me? _ME!?_ I who stood against Salem? I who had taken on the pain of the world? I who turned a dying world into a flourishing nation-"

"You, you, you, and that's the problem!" Glynda gasped out angrily, a pained expression as she stepped closer to Empress and driving her arm further through her chest. "Don't you see it? Why everything went wrong? You've never, not once, _led_ your people. You just _stood in front of them."_ Glynda said as her tears fell freely. "I failed you." Glynda said as the Empress bowed her head, her eyes shadowed by her hair. "Give Qrow your light, led him guide your _heir._ Save her from my failures."

"You're right, you did fail me." The Empress began before violently ripping her hand free making Glynda scream. "But there will be no need to save my so-called _heir._ I will take over your body and return to my body myself. I clearly need a tighter leash on my subordinates. I will save the world, even if I have to bring down millions to save billions."

The mindscape began to crack as Glynda fell back, the life beginning to leave her eyes as she realized she failed once more. Still despite it all, even as her vision darkened, she looked back up at the monster she created.

"I…I…still love you, Ms. Rose." Glynda said as she forced a kind smile on her face that only served to enraged the Empress more. In a flash of light, Crescent Rose appeared in her hands. The Empress raised the legendary weapon high, prepared to cleave her treacherous advisor in two.

 _ ***CLANG!***_

 **BGM: Bad Luck Charm-RWBY OST**

"I've seen enough." Qrow said darkly as the Empress looked at him in surprise. "You may have been my niece once, but you're obviously not anymore and I'll be damned if I let you anywhere near Ruby."

Shock.

Pain.

Betrayal.

Anger.

All these emotions quickly swam through the Empress' eyes before her power pulsed, her eyes shining brighter as she knocked him back. Landing in a crouch, Qrow poised his blade to attack as he and the Empress glared at each other.

"You're right. I'm not your niece." The Empress said darkly. Qrow's eyes widened before he gritted his teeth when he saw her disappear. "And you aren't my uncle, my uncle died like a dog." The Empress said from behind him making him move his sword behind him quickly.

 _ ***CLANG***_

"Do you want to know how you died?" The Empress questioned as they found themselves locked in highspeed combat, slashing violently at each other as they moved throughout the mind-scape. "We were cornered in Vacuo." The Empress began as she jumped up high, her perception of time slowing as she shifted her weapon into its gun form. Qrow found himself transforming into a bird to avoid her fire.

Despite all of this, he couldn't drown out her broken voice.

"You, myself, and a few friends of mine were together. One of my friends, was Ozpin's next reincarnation." Qrow flew above her and transformed, his eyes wide, showing that he heard her before descending upon her with an over head slash which she promptly blocked before they crashed back into the ground, her scythe and his blade struggling for dominance. "He was my first love, and before they merged completely, Ozpin promised…he _promised_ to never interfere with our lives!"

 _ ***BANG!***_

Releasing a shot from her scythe manage to knock him away from her before she shot towards him releasing a flurry of high speed attack that he was unable to block.

"I had a plan, a risky one, that would have gotten us out of Vacuo. We all agreed on it, including you and my beloved. However, the night before we were to enact it, Ozpin in his infinite wisdom _just knew_ he had a better one."

"No…" Qrow trailed off, his eyes widening as he felt his heart clench while the Empress gave him a cruel smirk before kicking him in chest.

" _Yes…"_ The Empress mocked. "Are you truly surprised? Ozpin lied again, he took over the man I loved and tried to play the role of a martyr. You could have stopped him, but instead you went with him!" The Empress roared, her voice cracking as her tears continued to cascade down her cheeks. Slamming the bottom of her scythe into the ground, a massive shockwave erupted towards Qrow and knocked him back out of the doors to the throne room. Turning back into his bird form he flew into the room and transformed again above the Empress.

 _ ***BANG!***_

 _ ***BANG!***_

 _ ***BANG!***_

The Empress lazily tilted her head to dodge the first shot, before slightly shifting her body to avoid the other two. Whipping her scythe upward, a crimson arc of aura shot up towards him, making him curse as he maneuvered around it.

"You could have stopped him, believed in me, but instead you walked right next to him to his doom. When Salem gave us your remains, you couldn't be recognized. You both weren't even able to be buried." The Empress said making Qrow pause and for that split second she reappeared before him and slammed a vicious right to his face that sent him crashing into the ground. "My mother, my lover, who else do you need to kill? You and your sister do nothing but break my home!" The Empress snarled as she attacked him viciously.

Grace?

Efficiency?

None of these factors that were usually present, even in her younger counterparts fighting style, could be seen. The only emotion the Empress held towards him now was contempt. It was obvious to Qrow that she just wanted him to _hurt._

The problem was that none of her blows could possibly hurt as much as her words.

"When Glynda brought you before me, only then did I realize how useless she was. How could you possibly advise me? You can't even be an uncle, let alone a royal advisor." The Empress snarled as Qrow struggled to his hands and knees only to be kicked into his face. "Or did you think incomplete fighting lessons and an occasional dirty joke was enough to validate your role in my sad excuse of a family?"

The way she talked down upon his place in her family hurt the most out of all of her taunts because he knew.

Deep down he knew…

…many of these thoughts were probably buried deep down, repressed, by _his_ Ruby.

"You who stole the very color from my life, who gave me pain in return for my love, whose very name has been nothing but a burden." Ruby ranted as she slammed her foot into the back of his head and forced his face into the ground. "You have only been right about one thing Qrow, and that's that you are nothing but my bad luck charm." The Empress said coldly as she aimed the barrel of her gun at his head.

But she didn't pull the trigger.

 **BGM: END**

"Not worth it." The Empress said as she saw the ground beneath them cracking. Stepping back, she left him as part of the ground caved in, sending the wounded Huntsmen falling into a dark abyss. Collapsing her weapon, she went to go take control over her new temporary body only to freeze when she still felt resistance

But how–

The Empress' eyes widened in alarm when she finally noticed the down Glynda whose body was covered in an all-too familiar silver light. She was so focused on Qrow she hadn't noticed Glynda building up her light. She couldn't believe that Glynda held on this long. The Empress had no idea how she could be so unlucky-

"Qrow." The Empress whispered, the fight had gone in her favor for the most part. That should have been the red-flag needed to see something was off. Quickly pulling her scythe out once more, the Empress blasted towards Glynda angrily. "You…treacherous _bitch_!" The Empress shouted as she went to end Glynda. However, before she could make it…for the first time in years…the Empress…

…was too slow.

 _ ***FLASH***_

The Empress was forced back when the silver-ethereal form of Glynda shot up from her body and dove down into the abyss.

 **-With Qrow-**

 **BGM: You Say Run- Boku no Hero Academia OST**

As Qrow fell into the darkness, he tried to think of where everything went wrong. Somewhere down the road he had failed his niece. Not just once, but numerous times that built up and transformed her into that woman she became. Glynda claimed it was her failures, but he knew better.

It was ultimately on him.

Oh yes, Taiyang had his fair share of the blame. That said the man _knew_ and _admitted_ his short-comings when it came to girls. He was not the best father but he _tried_ and when the responsibility of being a single parent became too much he _trusted_ his youngest daughter to Qrow despite the shaky relationship between the two men.

And what did he do?

He betrayed that trust.

That woman represented the future his niece was headed towards and it was too late to get her off that destructive path. But God did he wish he had another chance.

A chance to make things right.

To be the family that little girl deserved.

He'd sell his soul for such a chance.

 _ ***FLASH***_

Qrow blinked as he saw the silver form of Glynda above him as he fell, a sad smile as she looked at the man who lost his will to fight.

"We fucked up." Glynda said bluntly and despite himself, despite the situation, Qrow released a bitter laugh.

"Yeah, we did, didn't we?" Qrow asked with a roguish grin even as his eyes glistened.

"But its time for us to set it right." Glynda said firmly making him look at her skeptically.

"How can we possibly set this right? She hates us both."

"Please, Qrow, are you not a teacher?" Glynda asked, her watery smile growing as she became more determined. "Children throw tantrums all the time."

"Not Ruby."

"Especially Ruby, you've just never seen it because you weren't around believing you were keeping her safe. Which you did, but you kept her safe from everyone but herself." Glynda informed him as she extended a hand towards him. "Fix that, this time." Glynda said as his tears finally fell before an expression even more determined that Glynda's crossed his face as he nodded and accepted her hand. Pulling him up towards her as they fell, Glynda hugged him tightly. "No one can stand up against the Empress' eternal light…not even her darkness."

 **-With the Empress-**

Climbing to her feet, the Empress was about to eviscerate Glynda when she paused and clenched her teeth.

"He's coming." The Empress muttered before glancing back when she saw a blur fly up from the void. Turning around fully, she cursed at the sight before her. It was a sight she saw every damn time she looked at her uncle.

An Angel.

Qrow floated above her, massive black wings flapping lazily as he gazed down upon her with silver eyes. She said nothing as she crouched down into her signature stance as his blade shifted and transformed into his scythe before her very eyes. For a moment neither said a thing before charging each other. The Empress upped her speed tremendously as she hopped from various walls, making her way up towards her as he dive-bombed her.

 _ ***CLANG!***_

"You were right." Qrow said as their weapons met, the resulting shockwave booming throughout the battlefield. Soon the two pushed off from each other before they began attacking each other rapidly as. "Incomplete lessons and dirty jokes aren't enough to make me your uncle. But I realize that despite everything I _am_ your uncle." Qrow said before batting the Empress away into a nearby wall only for her to catch herself, the wall cracking beneath her feet before she hot back up at him. "Why? Because I love you Rubes." Qrow declared making her eyes widen as she found herself faltering.

Qrow struck then.

"You're open!" Qrow shouted before flying inside her guide. However, he wasn't admonishing her but rather himself. "I've really taught you nothing." Qrow said with a bitter chuckle after knocking her back down into the ground. Cursing, she recovered, only to find him already upon her. "Come on, again!" Qrow ordered as she fought back.

Back and forth

Back and forth.

Back and forth.

That's how the two fought as Qrow expertly out maneuvered her and abused the openings she had. The Empress was so used to having overwhelming power, that when limited to only the small fraction she had given Glynda she was forced to fall back on her combat skills. She was an _expert_ with a scythe…

…but she was never a _master._

For the first time in a long time, she found herself outclassed.

"Again." Qrow ordered making her curse, her frustration high as she realized she couldn't beat him. Just like that, in a moment she found herself brought back to her youth when she first trained with Qrow.

"Shut up!" The Empress ordered swinging wildly only for him to knock her weapon out of her hand. Cursing again, she prepared for him to end her as he raised his scythe high.

 **BGM: END**

 **His Theme-Under Tale OST**

 _ ***SCHTICK*  
**_

When the pain didn't come, she opened her eyes to see that he had stabbed the blade into the ground before stepping forward and wrapping his arms around her tightly.

"What happened to you and your friends over these years, the things you had to do and had done to you…it's not your fault." Qrow said firmly, snapping her out of her stupor. She began thrashing wildly, attempted to break free but he didn't budge. "I'm so sorry."

"Let me go!" The Empress roared, her heart clenching painfully.

"No."

"L-Let me go I said!" The Empress shouted, her voice wavering. She scratched at him and his wings desperately, even going as far as attempting to bite him. She wanted to cause him any kind of pain to make him release her.

"Never."

One word.

That's all it took for Qrow to break her again.

"Why…why did you leave me?" The Empress finally asked as her arms weakly wrapped back around him. Qrow didn't answer, he didn't know, no matter how much he wished he knew what was going through his counter-parts' head. Instead, he just held her closer as she sobbed. "It…it hurts so much…"

"I know Ruby, I know." Qrow said quietly, his wings wrapping around her protectively. Even as the world around them shattered like glass, he never let her go. As she cried her body began to shine in a bright light, wisps of darkness pouring off of her body in waves.

"I don't want to be alone anymore."

"You won't be, but Ruby, you can't push everyone out again. From what I've gathered, you had friends, good ones, but it was _you_ who decided to stand at the top alone. You can't do that." Qrow admonished her quietly. "There is more to being a leader than simply taking everyone's pain on alone. That's a martyr not a leader and especially not a ruler."

"But…I thought that I had to protect everyone one who put their faith in me? That I had to devote myself to them fully with everything I am…" Ruby said quietly making Qrow sigh as he closed his eyes. With that sentence alone and the years he spent with Ruby, he knew exactly where here wires got mixed up and where this complex she developed came from. Ruby always saw things in extremes, black or white, very seldom did she ever see the various shades of gray.

"Ruby… a leader needs to make sure their subordinates can take care of themselves, not take up their burdens for them." Qrow said gently. "And a ruler…" Qrow trailed off. "You know when Oz told my team of the old days before the great war, I think he and your mother had their first argument." Qrow began making the Empress tense before she pulled back and looked up at him in surprise. "You see…Ozpin believed the exact same thing you do."

"He did?" The Empress asked with a frown, as if the fact Ozpin would agree with her automatically made her wrong. Qrow would have laughed at that, but Ruby needed to hear this.

"Your mom, however, said that a ruler should not be devoted to their people. No, your mom believed that a good ruler was the one doing all of the hard work. She believed that it was the people who _owed_ the ruler. The people were to be devoted to the ruler and in return the ruler would lead and ensure they all had homes and lives they could live."

"That's…"

"…The exact opposite of what you have been doing from what I guess." Qrow said as he raised an eyebrow and the Empress had the decency to avert her eyes. "And honestly, I think she was right. Ruby, you gave every one a fighting chance, a home, safety, but you forgot an important fact…" Qrow trailed off as he made sure he had her full attention. "You don't, and you've never, owed anyone a goddamn thing. You did the favor, its okay for you to collect on it, to _want_."

At that moment a smiling blond knight flashed through her mind.

"If you can't satisfy your own needs, how can you satisfy the needs of others?"

At that moment, Qrow found himself comforting the Empress as her body once more shook with sobs.

This poor woman…just what did she do to herself?

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later-**

Glynda opened her eyes, surprised to find herself on a park bench. She was covered in a jacket that did not belong to her and found herself pressed into Qrow's side who had an arm wrapped around her as he stared up into the moon, obviously lost in thoughts.

"I'm…alive?" Glynda asked quietly.

"Yup."

"How?" Glynda asked in confusion.

"Ruby, she restored your light, whatever that means, said it would heal your mind." Qrow explained, as Glynda looked shocked at the act of mercy.

"What happened to her?"

"Sleep. The darkness in her started pouring out, she purified herself. She said she was going to go to sleep with the other fragments of her power. Something about returning once the time is right?" Qrow asked in confusion before giving Glynda a look that clearly, she meant she better explain.

Fast.

Nodding, Glynda looked at the moon and told Qrow _everything_ even a few things other Knights probably didn't know. When she was done, Qrow pursed his lips.

"This…merge…its–"

"Not like Ozpins. Its genuine, the other Knights and myself have experienced it when we returned. It will be like what Ozpin _claimed_ his was. Ruby will get the Empress' memories and aura, she might mature a lot but it will be _her._ If she is taught how to lead properly this time, we won't have to worry about the Empress' questionable ideologies being practiced."

"Good. That's another reason she spared you by the way." Qrow said confusing Glynda. "She said you weren't allowed to retire after leading her astray but you would be getting demoted. Said something about a Royal tutor now?" Qrow said making Glynda snort.

"Is that right? Fine with me. Handling those Knights are your problem now, but I am surprised, Qrow. Does this mean you accept what's coming?"

"I don't like it. I'd rather scoop up my girls, tie up Tai, and drag them all as far away from this mess as possible." Qrow said dryly. "But I know that she is the best future this world has now, though for the time being its going to be hard for me to differentiate the two Rubys…or is it Rubies with an i.e.s?" Qrow mused making Glynda shake her head fondly.

"We refer to the younger one as the Princess to make things simpler since she is technically an _heir_ to the throne. Decades from now when the succession is documented we'll probably refer to them as Empress Ruby Rose I and Empress Ruby Rose II. The Empress made many mistakes, but her story deserves to be told."

"Agreed. It's the best way to stop history from repeating itself." Qrow said making Glynda nod. "Tai is gonna freak when this all comes out." Qrow said with a sigh making her giggle.

"A problem for another day."

"Yup…I need a drink." Qrow said as he stood up before glancing back at her. "Wanna go get one?"

 _ **[Glynda…for the love of god, stop over thinking everything. That's literally my job, just relax and go with the flow for once. Live a little.]**_

Jaune's words ringing through her head, Glynda planted a smile on her face as she stood up.

"Yes, it's been a long day."

"Hell yeah, come on, we'll take the scenic route." Qrow said with a smirk before a pair of black wings sprung from her back. Glynda gasped at the sight, before shaking her head fondly.

"You really are an angel, aren't you Qrow?"

"I don't know about all that." Qrow said with a cocky smirk than soon vanished as he looked at her firmly. Running a hand back through his hair to fix, Qrow looked down at Glynda with a firm expression, his eyes shining silver. "But I do know one thing."

 **BGM: For the Damaged Coda- Blonde Redhead (Rick and Morty OST)**

"What's that?"

"She was right, the time for careful planning and inaction is over." Qrow said gruffly, a scowl on his face as he thought about the current world state.

"I agree."

"Now, is the time for action." Qrow said as he lifted her up before they flew away, leaving black feathers in their wake.

 **To be continued.**

 **Next chapter: Fight of the Valkyrie**

 **Goals for 2018**

 **Knights of Rose: Get far into Volume 2 (We're still in 1 but it's ending soon)**

 **Sora's Life is a Game: Get 4/7 Hearts collected**

 **Twilight One shot: Fuck you Buffy**

 **Harry Potter One shot: I know I'm surprised too**

 **Possible "Fate" One shot**

 **Will: Oh thank God, I needed something to edit to unwind from all the business that has plagued me for the last 5 weeks. Still, those are some nice goals for 2018 that you have Lord Rebuke. I'll make finishing Volume 1 of my RWBY x God of War X-over my goal then. Welp, better get back and write the necessary interludes before going to Arc 2 of Legacy of War.**

 **Rebuff: Good, be better then us. If it wasn't for the fact we leave shit on a cliffhanger for self-preservation, I'm sure our readers would have killed us by now.**

 **Hell yeah, now on to the reviews!**

 **Yomunot: Glad you like it! I treat fight scenes like I do dialogue, if it doesn't move the plot forward or add character development, there is no purpose. Its just word vomit then so I try to make them feel as impactful and important as possible! Glad you liked the development!**

 **Deathtrooper900: Glad you like it! Though I have you didn't venture far back in time, some stories I wrote are so cringe worth that I can't help but laugh when I get the occasional flame from someone who managed to somehow stumble across them.**

 **Xager-the-Chaos-King: Hope you enjoyed the chapter, and you're right. Ren finally made his move, now if only he could get Blake to fall in line lol. Jaune does need help which he will get soon, hopefully.**

 **FamousFox: Whats upppppp. Glad you like my stories and have taken the time to review. I PMed you with my advice if I'm not mistaken, but honestly? Just remember to have fun with it, if you can't go back and reread something you wrote and legitimately enjoy it, don't expect others to. I don't think you'll have that problem though, so I'll wish you the best of luck!**

 **Xyz (Part 1): Go right ahead, I need to expand my library. It may not make it to the story, but I'm down to rock out behind the scenes lmao.**

 **Xyz (Part 2): True about comparison between powers, in many cases it just depends on the viewer at a certain point. Glad you liked the chapter, and hopefully this chapter sheds light on the darker side of the Empress. Bottling too much suffering within can only go so far….well I think 1 more person noticed it but that's about it concerning the poster lol.**

 **AJ Lexie: LEXXXIIIIEEEEEE We all like a good cat-fight don't we? Hope you like the chapter, also I'm heading to France this summer so for ten days...we'll at least be on the same continent lmao.**

 **Zeus: Updated and glad you like them**

 **Zephonius: Glad you liked the story! As for Pyrrha, not much when it comes to consequences if she can fix it. Thanks for the review!**

 **Lobo Loco10: It wasn't easy. Pyrrha is a character that was made to die so in a fic where she lives you have to make up for her…lack of personality for lack of a better word. A perfect main character isn't interesting, but a perfect character used as catalyst for the change of other characters is. She's "Perfect" but I decided to expand more on the flaws that could come from "perfection" personality wise. She is a blatant, and I'll admit it proudly, Peggy sue but if used properly she can play a very important role and be used greatly.**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: Run, that's what she's gonna do lol. Yang was the first in "WBY" to shine, briefly, in the Nora fight so its gonna take a short while before the spotlight makes its way back to her. But believe me, I have some vol 3 plans for her that will make you shit your pants but in the mean time she will have a few smaller/good impact moments.**

 **Sonic: Thanks!**

 **Raiju56: Glad you like it, hope you enjoy the next chapter as well!**

 **Dopplerdee: Even if its an omake, that shit will happen now. I am literally crying at those chapter names though. Thanks for the reviews**

 **Bankerrtx01: UNCLEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE Thanks for the review!**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Dat timing thooooooooo. Glad you like the chapter, and that fight will be something. I plan for it to be the volume 1 finale which is coming soon, be ready.**

 **Aidis: NO MAN/WOMAN/PERSON GETS LEFT BEHIND (Except "guest" reviews) I've tried to reply to every review in every story since I've started and I won't stop now lmao. Glad you like the story, it means a lot that you reviews.**

 **Dandyrr0403: You now know what it means to Ozpin someone and why some Knights might dislike/hate-in Nora's case-him. Glad you liked the chapter.**

 **EmperorCookies: Volume 1 finale is the fight date, get your tickets ready lol. It will be the single longest and most ambitious fight scene I think I've done so far. Get your popcorn ready, because witchcraft doesn't even begin the explain the bullshit those two are going to hit each other with.**

 **BalanceM88: Dude just review when you can, I appreciate it but I understand if you miss a few chapters or so, life happens! I'm just glad you're still reading! Expect crazier Omakes in later chapters. Well imagine no more because Uncle Qrow is here! Glad you liked it!**

 **TheNeah: She did her best lol, the Pyrrha Harem…I have to do an omake about that later. Jaune and Ruby are just distractions, the real person running the harem is her. Thanks for the review!**

 **MoonShadowPup: Lmao, glad you like the chapter**

 **Littlest1: Glad you like the reference! This chapter shed a bit more light on things like the Empress' dark side/and why Ozpin is such a touch subject as he ended the short-lived romance. Glad you like the chapter, and yeah Qrow has made his choice now he has to be prepared to dance on the lines of loyalty.**

 **Kamigawa Nagamaki: That's EXACTLY where it come from you'll find a lot of fate easter eggs in this story. Without a doubt, Pyrrha is a blatant Peggy sue but I've learned that such a character can be great if used to better to rest of the cast. Glad you like the story! Thanks for the review!**

 **FateBurn: Thanks and thanks for the review!**

 **WirelessGrapes: The best kind of ridiculousness lol! Glad you liked the chapter!**


	12. Interlude: Empire of Rose: His Rose

**Disclaimer: Don't own shit besides the shit I'm going to publish.**

 **Next Chapter has a decent start, just taking awhile as I try to figure out how to tie it into the volume one finale for Knights of Rose. So as an apology for the delay-though I have no set release schedule-here's some feelz.**

 **First of the chapter Ans going to be removed. As a result, this may affect your ability to review this chapter. (This will be placed after the latest chapter update and with the previous AN removed, FF will think that THIS chapter is LAST chapter and I don't think you can review twice on the same chappy)**

 **I don't respond to "interlude" reviews for the sake of simplicity anyway so don't worry about it.**

 **(That said if you do go through the effort of somehow reviewing this, you da homie and I appreciate it! :D)**

 **Featured BGMS**

 _ **BGM: Priscilla's Song-the Wolven Storm-sung by Malukah (YouTube it).**_

 **Empire of Rose: His Rose (Basically my alternate to world of remnant)**

 **(Obligatory warning that the following may contain suggestive themes though if you got this far, you know what to expect by now)**

 _ **Everybody saw a different side of the Empress**_

 _ **So what side did the Knight Captain see?**_

 _ **-Empire of Rose: Castle: Private Garden-**_

 _The Empress hummed a soft tune to herself as she gently tended to her rose garden. Her hood was raised in an effort to block out some of the cold as snow fell down around her. Still, the weather did not faze her much as she continued to upkeep her garden. It was always a marvel to those who saw it, how the Empress managed to keep such beautiful crimson roses in bloom no matter the weather condition._

 _*clang*_

 _Bright silver eyes widening at the sound, the Empress turned to find her Knight Captain kneeling in the snow, the banner of Vacuo held in his hands._

" _Your majesty." Jaune said as he raised the banner towards her and gave her a smile that made her heart flutter in a way that only he could make it. "Radiant as always."_

" _Thank you, I always have had a knack for gardening." The Empress mused, a light smile on her face as she grabbed the flag from his hands._

" _Yes, the garden is quite beautiful as well." Jaune said, almost as an after thought as the Empress' face flushed in way that she was sure wasn't due to the cold._

" _Arise." The Empress ordered softly. Jaune did just that and the Empress took a moment just to take in the sight as she gently placed a hand on his chest plate, her hand almost burning from the sheer cold of the metal. "It has been a long time since we were last this close."_

" _Far too long." Jaune agreed, his expression turning sorrowful as he place an armor clad hand over hers before grabbing and raising it so that could place a chaste kiss on her knuckles. "I just wish we had parted on better terms. You were right, as always, I'm so sorry that we had to fight–"_

" _Don't. " The Empress interrupted quickly but firmly. "Don't you ever apologize for disagreeing. If you always agreed with me, I wouldn't need you as my tactician, now would I?" The Empress whispered, her lips quirking while her eyes seemed to glisten._

" _We should get inside before you catch a cold." Jaune suggested making her laugh a bit before brushing a strand of hair away from her face._

" _I honestly did not notice how cold it had gotten."_

" _You're joking?" Jaune said, raising an eyebrow skeptically. "How does one not feel the beginning of frostbite?"_

" _Seems I do not feel much when you're away." The Empress stated so softly that Jaune almost didn't hear her._

 _But he did._

 _Pulling her close, Jaune wrapped his free arm around the small of her back as she rested her head on his furred collar._

" _Let's get you inside, your majesty."_

 _ **-The Empress' Quarters-**_

 _ **BGM: Priscilla's Song-the Wolven Storm-sung by Malukah (YouTube it).**_

 _*Slam!*_

 _*Clang!*_

 _Jaune slammed the door to her bedroom behind them as the hastily made their way inside, hungry, desperate kisses from both of them as the Empress and Jaune practically ripped each piece of his armor off. Vacuo's banner discarded to the side as Jaune placed Crocea Mors and Crescent Rose next to the fireplace._

 _With the utmost care, Jaune removed her crown and hood before gripping her dress and tearing it off of her, making her giggle._

 _A giggle._

 _It had been far too long since he had heard that sound. Clumsily, the two fell back on her bed. Lifting himself off of her, Jaune stared down at her with unhidden desire as she looked up at him in wonder, her silver eyes sparkling as she placed both of her hands on the sides of his face._

" _Jaune…"_

" _Ruby?"_

" _Make me feel…" The Empress requested softly as she removed her hands and slid them down his bare chest, gently tracing the wounds that not even his aura could heal._

" _Feel what?" Jaune urged her gently, making her bite her crimson lip._

" _Mortal." The Empress said with a vulnerability that made his heart break. Leaning down, he proceeded to do that, placing a trail of kisses down the nape of her neck, hastily unbuckling his belt while she removed her bra. The Empress squirmed as his kisses got lower and lower until he reached her chest. Taking one of the buds into his mouth, he bit down gently making her gasp while he massaged the other with his thumb._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _ **Jaune Arc, short, sweet, rolls off of the tongue. Ladies love it!" A young Jaune said cockily while a fifteen-year-old Ruby looked at him skeptically.**_

" _ **Do they?"**_

" _ **T-they will!"**_

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Arc!" The Empress practically growled out, an unsaid order behind that one word as her knight Captain had the audacity to look at her with a smirk. The time for teasing was over. Reaching down, Jaune gripped her black-laced panties and ripped them off. "You owe me an entirely new outfit…"_

" _Worth it." Jaune said before he slid inside of her, making her eyes widen before she bit back a moan and gripped his back tightly to the point his aura flared as her nails tried to dig into his back. "Let it out." Jaune said, making her whimper before she opened her mouth and released a moan that refused to be held back as he began to move._

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **["Again!]**_

 _ **Ruby watched silently as Jaune trained in the forest, pushing himself to the edge as the voice that haunted them both instructed him. Many would claim that he was torturing himself, but she knew. Everyone healed in their own way.**_

 _ **This was not something she should be seeing.**_

 _ **Stepping back she turned and left the grieving knight, idly wondering if he would ever be able to move on.**_

 _ **Would she?**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Flipping over, Jaune groaned as Ruby straddled him, her hands gripping the headboard until the wood cracked. Grabbing her rear, Jaune gripped each globe tightly as she began rocking forward. The entirety of the bed moved with each motion._

 _*bang!*_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **He did it, somehow he moved on, and with the girl of his dreams too. Ruby smiled brightly as she saw Jaune and Weiss walking hand in hand. Now that he had come into his own, he was a much better match for her partner.**_

" _ **Ruby?" Ruby jumped when she found herself snuck up on before turning find a smiling Oscar behind her. As he took her hand into his, she couldn't help but be optimistic for the future.**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **She was a fool. Nothing had gotten better.**_

 _ **Ruby could do nothing but fall to her knees and cry alongside Jaune, holding him tightly, as the kneeled in the middle of his now destroyed hometown. Weiss had gone ahead to fight Tyrion but it was too late.**_

 _ **His family.**_

 _ **Weiss.**_

 _ **All dead from Tyrion's much more potent poison from his new stinger. They couldn't even have the drive for revenge to distract them as Weiss, magnificent huntress as she was, took Tyrion down with her before falling to the poison.**_

 _ **If she was better, faster, she could have gotten Jaune here quicker.**_

 _ **But she didn't.**_

 _ **She failed.**_

 _ **And her team would remain forever broken.**_

 _ ***Flash***_

 _ **In the same month, Ruby found herself sobbing before the butchered remains of Oscar and Qrow. Jaune said nothing as he held her close. Deep down she wondered why he wasn't crying but the truth was she knew.**_

 _ **The man was just out of tears.**_

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Ruby!" Jaune exclaimed as he sat up and held the now sobbing woman. She held him tightly in return before pulling back and looking at him with a firm expression even as tears slid down her face._

" _Don't stop. Help me forget." The Empress pleaded making his expression soften before he pushed her back gently and once more took control._

" _Relax. I'll take it from here." Jaune said as he raised one of her legs and leaned in further before he continued to move. The Empress gave him a watery smile as more memories filled her. The day she used her power on Jaune._

 _The formation of the Knights._

 _Of her Empire._

 _Of Hope itself._

" _ **I love you."**_ _The Empress gasped out. Three words that made Jaune look at her in surprise. Of course, he knew she did as she knew that he loved her. However, this was the first time he had ever heard those words from her._

" _I love you too." Jaune said before tensing as both he and the Empress found themselves releasing their passion. The Empress' eyes shone with power, her vision going white, a pleasure shot through her very being. Panting tiredly, Jaune removed himself before laying next to the Empress, both of their chests rising and falling rapidly._

" _We're not waiting that long again." The Empress aid firmly making him chuckle._

" _I might have another tour–"_

" _Nope"_

" _But–"_

" _ **Nope."**_ _The Empress interrupted much more firmly. "You know how fast I am, there is nowhere you can go that I can't reach and return here within the same day."_

" _As your Knight Captain I don't approve…" Jaune trailed off before smirking at the glower she gave him, "but…I'll make sure to keep my tent open in the future, just in case."_

" _You're learning."_

 _ ***Later***_

" _That sword is going to outlive my entire blood-line, I just know it." Jaune muttered as they sat on the rug in her room and stared at the fire place. The Empress was wrapped in her hood as Jaune held her close. Embers danced around Crocea Mors, illuminating it in the fire-lit room._

" _Always appreciate the classics." The Empress said before frowning a bit. "I'm sorry, you know, with the way things are going I won't be able to help you with passing on that sword one day."_

" _Ruby–"_

" _I'm serious. Jaune, please, if something happens to me_ _ **promise**_ _you will not shut down, that you will move on. That you will pass on that blade to your son."_

" _That…will be the only promise I can never make. If you fall, then more than likely I will be right next to you. If I'm not? I'll find a way to destroy that blade myself." Jaune swore making the Empress look at him in surprise. "A sword that can't help a knight protect his empress, or a man protect his woman, is not a blade worth having. That thing already has two strikes, you will not be the third." The Empress was going to respond but decided against it, it would only lead to pain. Instead, she closed her eyes and rested her head on his shoulder. "I heard Ironwood fell in Atlas."_

 _Shit._

 _The Empress tensed before opening her eyes and looking up to find him staring at the fire place, eyes glistening with unshed tears._

" _Jaune, I–" The Empress struggled to find words as a single tear broke free and slid down his cheek._

" _These tears aren't for him." Jaune said, confusing her as she watched his tears fall freely now. Looking down at her, he gently raised her face up. "What are you doing to yourself?" Jaune asked with a whisper that was filled with so much emotion, the Empress felt her heart clench._

" _What needs to be done." The Empress said quietly, a broken smile appearing on her face. "I will protect you."_

" _And I will protect you." Jaune countered making her smile widen a bit as she looked at him knowingly._

" _I know you'll try."_

 _ **BGM: END**_

 **-Present-**

"Every time I want to destroy this sword I find another reason to wield it." Jaune murmured as he sat on the roof with Ren, drinking tea as they stared up at the fragmented moon.

"I sort of know the feeling. Every time I think I finally have found my limit, my "I'll never", one look at Nora is enough for me to discard it." Ren mused. "Sometimes, I wonder if those women know even half of the hell they put us through."

"Probably, but truth be told we probably put them through just as much if not more so…karma?" Jaune suggested, making Ren smirk.

"Karma." Ren said, raising his cup before toasting it with Jaune. "By the way, now that you're freely talking about the subject, to me at least, I feel it's my duty as your closest male friend to tell you something."

"Yes?"

"Yourself and the Empress?" Ren began, raising an eyebrow. "Worst kept secret in the empire." Ren deadpanned, making Jaune blink before paling. "No one outside of our inner circle knew, mainly because I'd have to destroy the evidence. On the off chance you try to repeat your past performance with the next empress, please just be open. My time is valuable." Ren drawled, making Jaune open and close his mouth in a stunned stupor for a bit before shaking his head. There was so much that was wrong with what Ren had just said.

"Ren?"

"Hm?"

"I don't deserve you."

"No, you do not, I'm fabulous." Ren said bluntly before smirking as he heard Jaune choke on his drink.

 **End**


	13. Rise of the Beacon 8!

**Disclaimer: Still don't own shit~**

 _ **RebuffX7: What the fuck is this chapter length? Do you want me to kick your ass? This is how you burned out last time! It'd be one thing if this was a one-shot.**_

 **Relax, Buffy, I took my time and paced myself.**

 _ **RebuffX7: You better. Just start the chapter and remember I got my eye on you.**_

 **Yes** _ **ma'am.**_ **On with the show everybody!**

 **Featured BGMs:**

 _ **War & War- NieR Automata OST**_

 _ **Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes (Glitch Mob Remix)**_

 _ **Prison Hall- Sonic Forces OST**_

 _ **Hurt- Johnny Cash**_

 _ **Ultra Instinct Remix | [Clash of the Gods] | Hip Hop/Trap | (Musicality Remix)**_

 _ **Battle on the Deck- Maple Story OST**_

 _ **Throne- Bring Me the Horizon.**_

 _ **Judgement- Devil Man Crybaby OST**_

 _ **This Will Be the Day- RWBY OST**_

 _ **Rules of Nature-Jason Miller**_

 _ **Home-RWBY OST**_

 **Chapter 12: Rise of the Beacon 8! (Alt Title: Fight of the Valkyrie!)**

 **BETAED BY: Will of Wisp**

 **-Vacuo: 4 Years before the Fall of Empress Rose-**

 **BGM War & War- NieR Automata OST**

 _Nora said nothing as she stood by the window of an airship, covered from the neck down in a massive suit of armor that made her look much taller than her actual stature. Though large and a bit bulky, it was still clear that the suit was made to be worn by a woman. Its color scheme was the same as her trusty hammer, mainly silver with hints of pink within it. In the center of her breast-plate was an engraved heart emblem that had a hammer with a lightning bolt etched inside of it and on her left shoulder pauldron there was a Rose-emblem that was surrounded by a thorny vine-like pattern that went down her side._

" _Are you ready Battle Master?" A young knight questioned snapping Nora from her thoughts. Turning away from the window of the of the airship that overlooked the warzone that had become Vacuo, Nora looked at her subordinate with a bright grin._

" _Of course, the question is, are you? For many of you, this is your first flight in the Valkyrie unit…and for many of you it may be your last. At least, that's what 'statistics' say." Nora said after noticing the nervous expressions on many of the knights. Winking at them, her grin seemed to widen even further. "But you know something? I was never good at numbers and if you couldn't defy the odds, you wouldn't be here."_

 _A silence._

" _Now the question is, do you all believe you belong here?" Nora questioned, her eyes narrowing slightly as the gathered knights stood at attention._

" _Yes Ma'am!"_

" _Good. Now why are you here!?"_

" _To fight the darkness!"_

" _Who do you fight for!?"_

" _For her majesty and her people!"_

" _Will your weapons waver?"_

" _No!"_

" _Will your hearts falter!?"_

" _Never!"_

" _At ease." Nora ordered as the hanger to the airship began to open as she walked towards it. "We are the last line of defense for her majesty. That means we enter the battlefield last and we leave it last. We cannot afford weakness. Anyone who fails to bring back at least five of their enemy's weapons for her majesty will be removed from the initiative, is that understood?"_

" _Yes Ma'am!"_

" _Good, make me proud and fly proudly." Nora said before slamming her fist onto her breast-plate, an action they replicated as their helmets appeared on their heads. "For Rose! Glory to her Garden!" Nora shouted before leaping from the airship as her subordinates released battle cries before following out after her._

 _As she fell, three other airships could be seen behind her's, getting smaller with the distance she dropped as more Valkyries seemed to descend from the heavens behind her. The communication systems in her armor then came online as she grew closer to the battlefield._

" _Captain! Battle Master, Valkyrie reporting in!"_

 _ **-Vacuo: Capital-**_

" _At ease, knight." Jaune replied, placing a finger on his ear as he looked back over the burning city where he could see what appeared to be small shooting stars coming down from the heavens. "What's your ETA?"_

 _["At least another 2 minutes before impact."]_

" _Good. It's been a long-fought battle, but it's reaching its end. My men have brought our enemy down, you will make sure they stay down." Jaune said as he neared the steps to the capital. "Shock and awe Valkyrie, think you can handle that?"_

 _["Of course!"] Jaune could hear the grin in her voice and released a small chuckle of his own._

" _Then I leave the rest to you, there was sightings of the Fall maiden drawing near. Perfect time to test out your armor. Keep her busy, I want a detailed report when you are finished." Jaune ordered. "Now you remember your keyword?"_

 _["Will never forget it, Captain. Leave the Maiden to me, Valkyrie out."]_

" _Please stop…we surrender, leave my family alone!" A voice pleaded making Jaune blink before turning to find a Knight standing before a terrified family of three. A young mother held her baby close as the terrified man stood in front of them, staring at the end of the Knight's rifle._

" _I…I…" The Knight hesitated, lowering his weapon briefly and nearly immediately the 'terrified' man gained a dangerous gleam in his eye, a small crimson blade fell from his sleeve before he lunged at the young knight. However, instead of pain, the knight felt himself being pulled back as Jaune stepped before him and buried Crocea Mors into the attacker's chest up to its hilt, the sound of his aura shattering echoing throughout the area. "C-Captain!?"_

" _No!" The woman cried hysterically as Jaune remained silent, staring at the attacker until he saw the life leave his eyes._

" _The battlefield is no place for hesitation. For emotion. I learned that the hard way in my youth after mistake after mistake. A fate I wish for you to avoid." Jaune said before turning away from the sobbing woman holding her child tighter. "Don't let it happen again."_

" _Y-yes, sir!"_

" _Good."_

" _B-but what about them?"_

" _Imprison them with the others until this operation is done. She's no threat, right now she needs to focus on her child as he should have." Jaune explained. "Send out a message for me, direct orders, frisk any civilian for weapons then lock them up until we officially occupy this territory and have people in place to help them transition into following under their new banner. After the capital is dealt with, tell the squad leaders to move on and take the academy. I want these streets clean enough to eat off of before tomorrow ends, is that understood?"_

" _Yes, sir!"_

" _Good. Perform well and I'll forget about this incident. Dismissed." Jaune said before sheathing his blade as the knight saluted him before quickly departing with the new prisoners of war. Turning back towards the capital, Jaune began making his way up the stairs. "Let's get this over with so I can go home." Jaune muttered as he entered the council chambers where a shaken council and their bodyguards awaited him. "I told you to surrender months ago, don't blame me for what's to come." Jaune said as he placed his hand on the hilt of his blade. "You should have never chosen Salem."_

 _-_ _ **With Nora-**_

 _ ***THOOOOOOOOOOM!***_

 _The ground shook, unearthing itself as the shockwaves resulting from Nora's impact devastated the group of enemies she landed in the middle of. Rising from a kneeling position, dozens of Valkyries landing across the battlefield as she rose in front of a scowling Cinder._

" _I swear, you're like a roach. How many times have you escaped death at this point?" Nora questioned, making Cinder glare at her, her eye lighting up with power._

" _Too many. Unfortunately for you, you will be unable to experience that as I plan on making sure you stay dead." Cinder said, making Nora chuckle._

" _Is that right?" Nora asked, resting her massive hammer on her shoulder. "You know if you replace anymore parts of yourself you won't even be human anymore." Nora taunted making Cinder's scowl deepen as lightning began erupting from Nora's armor in waves. "I wonder how much I can destroy before even Salem will be unable to rebuild you?"_

" _You won't find out!" Cinder boomed as flames erupted from the Grimm-like claws she called hands before she flew at Nora. Thrusters erupted to life from the back of Nora's armor as she found herself racing towards Cinder._

" _I always wondered what I was going to do to you if I ever saw you!" Nora began, a dark tone filling her voice. "Eventually, I had to make up an entirely new word just to describe what I plan to do to you." Nora said as she and Cinder met each other at that moment. Cinder's claws struggling against Magnhild's._

" _Oh and what word did you create to come up for my would-be demise?" Cinder asked sarcastically as Nora chuckled darkly as a torrent of lightning erupted from Nora's armor._

 **BGM: END**

 **-Current Time-line: Rose Garden: Basement: 2 Hours before Nora's Mission-**

"…Ragnarok. Interesting choice can't say I ever heard of that particular word before, what does it mean?" An older balding man questioned curiously as he stood before Nora who was now garbed in the protype of her armor.

"To put it simply? Death. It kinda got its own definition over time seeing how every enemy that heard me say it ended up dead eventually. Every knight has a word or phrase they say to boost their own morale in a pinch. The words themselves don't have any actual power but you'd be surprised how important it is to psyche yourself up." Nora said, suprising him as the huntress looked down at her armor covered hands and opened and closed them a few times. "You did a great job, Dr. Polendina."

"Thank you, though I must admit that it is still a prototype and that you should be careful. Truth be told I had experimented with something like this beforehand, but no human would be able to survive wearing the older power suits I designed so the initiative was eventually scrapped. Please, you seem like a nice young woman so be careful. Huntsmen stronger than you have fallen to weaker versions of this armor." Dr. Polendina warned making Nora smirk.

"You've never seen a huntsman stronger than me." Nora said with a giggle as she placed a hand on the armors chest-plate. "I'm going to perform a stress test, in advance I apologize for any damage that happens to this baby." Nora said sincerely, sending a chill down Dr. Polendina's spine.

The manic grin on her face only made it worse.

 **-Beacon: RWBY Dorm-**

"Hey I got your message, what's wrong?" Yang questioned as she entered her dorm. She had been on her way to ask Nora for some advice when she got an urgent message from Ruby on her scroll. When she entered the room, she found a frantic Ruby and a pissed Weiss though Yang had a feeling Weiss' attitude had nothing to do with her sister for once.

"It's Blake." Ruby said as she held up a letter, her eyes glistening with unshed tears while Weiss glowered, muttering something about lying terrorists.

"What's wrong with Blake?" Yang asked, now looking very concerned after all Blake was her partner. Ruby swallowed nervously, averting her eyes from her sister as she shakily handed Yang the letter.

"She's gone." Ruby said the two words that both she and Yang we're very tired of hearing for one life-time. Yang's heart clenched as her expression went blank for a moment while glancing over the letter. Indeed, Blake had run away. In her letter, she detailed how sorry she was, her true identity, and a number of reasons why she felt the team would be better off without her that all honestly sounded like bullshit to Yang.

For a moment no one said anything before Weiss finally looked up, the smell of smoke filling the room. Weiss shivered a bit when she saw the letter turn to ash in Yang's hand, here eyes now a burning red.

"We need to find her!" Ruby said urgently making Weiss scoff.

"Why?" Weiss questioned sounding irritated making both of the sister's glance at her. "If she wants to go let her."

"Weiss, she's our friend!"

" _Your_ friend, and Yang's. Blake and I have never been close, personally I think she's right. We don't need weakness like that. I apologize Ruby, I was wrong, it's obvious now that _you_ were never the drag on our team." Weiss said as she rose up and began to make her way out of the dorm.

"So, what? You're just going to abandon her!? When she obviously needs help!?" Yang asked angrily, making Weiss pause, a glacial glare meeting a burning one as blood red eyes mixed with a frosty blue. "Are you really that heartless!?"

"You don't get to judge me, Xiao-Long. Her father founded the White Fang, she was a member herself, they've killed _dozens_ of my family's workers which enraged my father which in turn led to a very, very, cold family life." Weiss said darkly, sending a chill down Ruby's spine as she saw genuine hatred on Weiss' face for the second time that day. "What's worse is that she's a hypocrite, making snide remarks about my upbringing when she was just as pampered if not more so, she's basically royalty to those beasts."

"We have to hear her side of the story! You can't judge her because of her family–"

"She did it to me! Unlike her, I'm judging her by her _character_. You just literally read her side of the story as well, she herself knows she's no good! It's best she left now before it was too late." Weiss said before glancing back at Ruby. "You're the leader, you need to know when to let people go."

"Like I should have let _you_ go? Fighting every decision I made just because you thought I wasn't ready!?" Ruby questioned, her fists clenched as Weiss paused. "Weiss we can't abandon her!"

"She abandoned us." Weiss corrected dismissively. "And unlike her, I carried my weight. Was I difficult, yes, I'll admit it and I'm sorry. But not once did I lie to you, even at my worst it was only an attempt to better the team in the end, and I also don't have the _blood_ of any of your associates on my hands! She wants to leave, let her go and good riddance!"

"Did our time together mean nothing to you then!?" Yang snapped, her aura burning bright. "Are you that cold-hearted!?"

"It's because it did matter that I'm telling you two to drop it! I actually _care_ about you two, there, I admit it! Which is why I want you to drop this for your own good! I was admittedly misguided in many instances but Blake's _toxic,_ Yang, this just proves it!"

"She hasn't done anything!"

"Then why did she run!?" Weiss snapped, making Yang pause. "Only the guilty, flee. You two clearly have abandonment issues that you need to address, but I'm no shrink, leave me out of it. You want to chase after her? Fine. Leave and don't say I didn't warn you. You can paint me as the villain if you wish and let the predator play victim, but I do not care."

"Weiss, please." Ruby pleaded, making Weiss stop, her hand on the door knob.

"No. I'm washing my hands of this nonsense. She is the weakest by far of not just us three but between us and JNPR as well and I am not talking about combat strength. She's a weak-willed person that will nearly get you all killed."

"Nearly?"

"You both will survive, I will personally drag you two out of this when it goes horribly wrong because that's what a _real_ teammate should do. I will tell you I told you so as I save you from your own stupidity. _Unlike her_ ,I won't abandon this team but I also know when to pick and choose my battles. One day you'll hopefully grow up and understand the difference." Weiss said before leaving, slamming the door behind her.

"Wow, you're a piece of work." Pyrrha said suddenly, making Weiss blink as she saw the spartan leaning against the wall adjacent to her, with her arms crossed. Weiss just sighed and shook her head as she walked away, Pyrrha following soon after as they made their way down the hall.

"What? Are you going to tell me we need to go track her down?"

"What? No, I agree with you wholeheartedly. If you have no power but a strong will that's one thing, but having a fragile will? Now that's true weakness and I have no time for that. I say let natural selection run its course." Pyrrha admitted.

And she meant it.

Even concerning her own counterpart's death, Pyrrha knew it was arrogant and foolish to stand up to someone who had clearly bested Beacon's Headmaster but her counterpart did it anyway.

And died because of it.

The others treated her as a martyr, but she knew, deep down, she was just foolish.

This was why she respected the Empress so much. It took an invasion, the embodiment of evil itself, and the cowardice of her enemies to bring her down and even then, she managed to avenge her own death and rewrite the world as she saw fit.

There will never be another death that glorious.

"When you're strong in the way that matters? Only then can you understand who is and isn't worth it." Pyrrha continued. "Blake is weak and like the weak she will fall, it's best not to let her bring you down as well especially after you've proven how much potential you have today."

"So, what did you mean by your comment then?"

"What? That you're a piece of work? Nothing, just that you're like me. You speak the truth but your presentation is god awful." Pyrrha said dismissively. "We're terrible with words, if it was someone like Jaune he could have conveyed what you did in a way that would have ended up with those two burning all of Blake's belongings."

Despite herself and the situation, Weiss couldn't help but laugh a bit at that.

No one had ever seen Jaune fight for long, all they knew was that Pyrrha apparently saw him as her equal or close to it. That said, they had team practices enough times for Weiss to see that Jaune had a gift for rallying speeches. Hell, he often motivated his opponents to fight harder against him.

"Then again, he'd probably would have rallied you to go find her with them instead." Pyrrha continued making Weiss frown.

"He would go after Blake?"

"Jaune isn't like us, Weiss, we live in the present. Jaune looks on into the future. Blake is weak, we know that, but he would see what she could be when she's strong." Pyrrha explained making Weiss pause, her eyes widening in confusion.

"What?"

"Whether you consider Faunus people or not is up to you, I don't care about your political views, but they do have the capability of learning. You can almost say we take the easy way out, while idiots like him and the others– well, minus Ren– do things the difficult way and would help build Blake into being something better, stronger than even she knows she can be. To be honest, the only reason we're talking now is because of idiots like him."

"What do you mean?"

"Weiss, we both know I could have dealt with you quickly today." Pyrrha chided with an eyeroll as Weiss blushed at the memory of how badly she was defeated. "That said, they told me not to. They saw a spark in you, something I was blind to, that will one day probably even make you better than me. So, I toyed with you a bit, waited, and you found that spark, something in you that you didn't even know you had, and became a completely better person out of it. I mean you were ranting in your dorm, but you just _apologized_ for your behavior to Yang and Ruby _,_ didn't you?"

"I…did…"

"Would you have really done that yesterday if I hadn't beaten yourself worth into you?" Pyrrha asked with a laugh as Weiss clenched her fists. "If I had just stuck to my values, ignored those idiots, you wouldn't be as strong as you are, how funny is that? Oh well, I guess we are just blind to some things."

And with that Weiss stopped moving, Pyrrha made it a couple steps before noticing her companion had gone rigid.

"What's the matter?"

"That spark…does Blake really have it?"

"Apparently. I mean think about it, Ghira Belladonna is a great and powerful man who did much for his species. The apple can't fall that far away from the tree, right?"

"B-but…the White Fang…they murder in cold blood…they're terrorists!"

"Of course, they are, those beasts are nothing but monsters… _now."_ Pyrrha corrected confusing Weiss. "The White Fang only fought in self-defense when Ghira ran it. When he stepped down to focus more on his family, only then did it start taking a turn. What you went through? Truth be told the Belladonnas had nothing to do with it." Pyrrha then frowned in thought. "Well I take that back, Blake probably robbed you of some dust but I don't think she killed anyone in cold blood before…I mean…she's way too weak to do anything like that right?"

…

…

…

"What's the matter Weiss?" Pyrrha questioned curiously as Weiss strode forward, her head bowed.

"Let's go."

"Go? Go where?"

"To find that idiot." Weiss muttered, making Pyrrha blink owlishly.

"Blake? Uh…okay? Had a change of heart then? Should we get the others?"

"No!" Weiss snapped, her cheeks flushing as Pyrrha raised an eyebrow. "My pride was shattered once today already. The last thing I need is to go back to them, after that display, and help them." Weiss said, making Pyrrha chuckle.

"Well aren't you precious?"

"Don't say another word." Pyrrha just laughed in response before following after her. Still, despite herself, she couldn't help but give her new protégé some help.

"Well, if we hurry, we can catch the next airship before it leaves. That way, you won't be stuck on the same ship as Yang and Ruby."

"Then let's hurry." Weiss said before they took off down the hall.

 **-Meanwhile: With Nora-**

 **BGM: Seven Nation Army- The White Stripes (Glitch Mob Remix)**

"Doc?" Nora began as thrusters erupted from the back of her armor, sending her rocketing across the floor of a warehouse and shoulder slamming a deer faunus into the wall with enough force to shatter their aura.

 _["Yes?"]_

"This shit rules." Nora said appreciatively as she spun Magnhild around in her hand before turning around and slamming it up into the chin of a dog faunus to see them fly up and through the roof of the warehouse.

 _ ***RATATATATATATAT***_

One of the White Fang members shouted in fury after pulling a large mini gun from one the crates before unloading it at the armored knight. Nora strolled towards him effortlessly as the bullets bounced off of her armor as she once more found herself succumbing to the intoxicating, in her opinion anyway, embrace of war.

 _ ***flash***_

 _Nora began to pick up speed before the thruster reignited on her back, neon pink flames burning brightly as pink electricity covered her armor as she rocketed towards the mini gun. She didn't stop even when she was a mere feet away from her assailant for she paid them no mind, no, in truth, her eyes were on a much bigger target._

 _ ***KRANG***_

 _ ***CRASH***_

 _The sound of metal twisting and aura shattering was lost to her as she ran over the terrorist, her eyes on a large Atlas mech that had been approaching from behind the now downed faunus. With a battle cry, Nora slammed into the mech with enough force to lift it from the ground. Together, Nora and her enemy ran through and over many of the extremists before Nora pinned it into the outside wall of an abandoned building, causing the entirety of it to collapse on top of them._

 _ ***flash***_

Pulling herself from the debris, Nora turned her attention back to the dozen or so faunus that remained at the current site. Hearing the roar of a chainsaw, Nora looked up to find a large faunus descending upon her with what could best be described as a chainsaw greatsword. Raising her forearm, she blocked the blade while tightening her grip on Magnhild, her eyes narrowed as pink electricity coursed over the entirety of her armor.

 _ ***flash***_

" _Ha!" Nora shouted as a pulse of electricity ripped free from her body, a dome of pure pink energy that sent her new attacker flying back through the air while crushing two more assailants that had tried to flank her. Her hammer crackled with even more power as she blasted forward before leaping high into the air._

 _ ***flash***_

Hands held tightly on her hammer's handle, Nora laughed as she descended upon the remaining faunus before slamming her hammer into the ground beneath her.

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOOM*  
**_

 _ ***flash***_

 _Like a loud thunder-clap, the sound of her weapon alone deafened her enemies as a shockwave ripped up and out from the point of impact and engulfed them with her might. Aura fragments fell down around her, seemingly showering her in a multi-colored light that symbolized nothing but destruction and death. Looking around she found a few of her knights holding on to each other for support only inches from death's door as their desperate enemy managed to fight them to parity._

 _They fought hard._

 _Of that Nora had no doubt as she looked around at the carnage. If things kept up how they were, the Empire would receive a heavy loss attempting to reclaim Menagerie. She would lose many men._

 _Her men._

" _Captain, you better have a goddamn plan." Nora growled out._

 _["Of course, I do. They'll push us back exhausting both ourselves and themselves in the process. At the point of parity, we'll overwhelm them with a surge of power.]_

" _Like we did in Vytal?" Nora questioned in surprise._

 _["Like we did in Vytal."] Jaune agreed. ["Ren is taking out their leaders now. He and his men snuck in in the confusion. Glynda should be sealing off their exits now. They're trapped."] Jaune explain and Nora blinked as she realized that large boulders were collapsing behind the enemy faunus, their only exit now being through the Knights of Rose. ["Your majesty, what's your take?"] Jaune questioned, making Nora blink owlishly behind her helmet._

 _At that moment, hundreds of rose petals fell down upon the bloodied battlefield. Looking up, Nora found the Empress standing on top of a cliff._

" _Your majesty? What are you doing here!?"_

 _["They have some last resort weapons from Atlas that must be destroyed at all costs. I'm here to honor an old friend."] The Empress muttered before Nora felt the ground shake as something erupted from behind enemy lines. ["Now, Arc!"] The Empress ordered as Nora turned to find a sight that made her heart clench._

" _Those monsters…" Nora muttered, rage fueling every fiber of her beings as a dozen of androids flew into the air, all wearing the face of Penny only where her eyes were bright green and full of love, theirs were a blazing red showing only a desire to cause pain._

" _ **Lancaster: Anti-Army."**_ _The Empress ordered before a blinding white light erupted in the distance._

 _["Yes, your majesty!"] Jaune shouted before the knights and the Empress felt a surge power fill their very souls. Every member of the empire army found their aura's changing from their respective colors to white as their Knight Captain's power amplified them. When she landed, the Empress seemed to disappear and cross the battlefield in the blink of an eye. Time seemed to slow as she appeared next to Nora, mid-step, and tapped her on the shoulder._

" _You're with me." The Empress said before disappearing._

" _Got it." Nora said a dark grin splitting her face before she blasted forward like a lightning bolt. In an instant she and the Empress tore through the androids as the knights fought with a renewed vigor, sending their enemies into hysteria when they realized they were trapped._

 _ ***flash***_

 **BGM: END**

"Like hell I'll let them create those abominations again." Nora muttered to herself, sitting on a pile of debris as she looked around at the devastated stronghold.

 _["What was that Ms. Valkyrie?"]_

"I said, send me the next location. I'm cleaning up these streets tonight." Nora said as she stood up, alarming Dr. Polendina.

 _{"I highly recommend returning for a checkup! Neither the suit or your very body are meant for prolonged usage at this stage!"]_

"I said this was a stress-test, didn't I? Besides my suit is different than the others." Nora began, her helmet collapsing so she could wipe the blood that began to slip out from her nose. "It's not designed to increase my power, just make what I have more controllable."

 _["Even so! Its tied to your nervous system, your aura! Your…Your very soul! Too much stress and you will break!"]_

"Better me than your daughter." Nora interrupted bluntly, silencing the man. "Next location, knight." Nora ordered one last time, lifting up he hammer as she began to leave the stronghold. The scientist turned knight said nothing else, but when Nora's helmet reformed, she noticed she could see the next location. "Thank you."

 **-Meanwhile: Miles away from Vale's Capital-**

"Is my presence really required for this?" A voice said boredly making Adam Taurus frown as he stood in the airship that was en route to Vale.

"Because, Hazel, apparently your human thief can't be trusted to secure dust to our forces." Adam growled out making the large man sigh.

"Our human thief that is backed by _your_ men. Who does that say more about when they can't best a few nosy children?" Hazel retorted with an eyeroll, making the Faunus place a hand on his blade. However, before he could draw it a voice interrupted them.

 _["Now, now, Hazel play nice. Every species has its defects, I suppose."]_ Cinder said with a small smirk. _["We are, however, lacking resources for our big show because of them so please play nice and help poor Roman retrieve the dust. We wouldn't want to disappoint…_ _ **her**_ _…now would we?"_ Cinder questioned, making them tense ever so slightly.

"Of course not."

 _["Good, then make sure everything goes well Hazel and be glad that you aren't forced to tag along with Tyrion again, things always get a bit messy when he's involved."]_ Cinder said, making Hazel scowl ever so slightly.

"No one has to die."

"And they won't so long as they mind their own business…but you know how humans are, they have a tendency to go after what doesn't belong to them." Adam said darkly, making Hazel sigh.

"Let's just get this over with." Hazel muttered as Adam looked back out of the airship's window.

"Vale, huh? I wonder if I'll run into an old friend here?" Adam wondered, a dark smirk crossing his face.

 **-With Blake-**

Blake was not happy.

All she wanted to do was leave and start over, but like always whenever she tried to leave one problem behind another just filled its place.

It was almost like running away her problems wasn't the answer or something.

Currently, Blake found herself in a café trying to find a way to escape her new pursuer, a blond monkey faunus that she made the unfortunate mistake of crying in front of. They had passed each other on the street, him making his way to the airships while she left them only for him to do an about-face and apparently make it his life mission to find out what was wrong with "such a cute faunus chic".

Blake's hand tightened around the handle of her cup as the image Ren flashed through her mind.

The poor idiot didn't even know that even if she _felt_ like telling him what was wrong, he'd probably end up dead. For a moment, as he asked her what was wrong for the who-knows-how-many-times, she honestly– for a cruel moment– thought of just telling him just so it could happen but somehow kept her patience in check.

It was, however, proving to be a losing battle.

"Will you leave me alone!?" Blake finally snapped, getting a few other café patrons attention only for Sun to raise an eyebrow.

"Will you tell me what got you down?"

"No!"

"Then I'll ask again–" However, before he could, Blake just covered his mouth with her hand and glowered at him.

"Why won't you just drop it?"

"Because it's not good to ignore these things?" Sun began before sighing. "Look, I can't just a let a cute girl like you walk around with something eating at you. I'm not trying to be some knight in shining armor either it's just…how do I put this…you don't look like you're the…happiest person generally speaking, not just because I saw you crying. So, leaving you alone just seems like a bad idea." Sun explained awkwardly, making Blake pause, her jaw dropping slightly.

Oh, dear God he had her on suicide watch…

She might have, despite herself, even laughed at this if the entire situation wasn't so frustrating and mortifying. What was worse was that Sun seemed like the good-natured idiot type which pretty much meant that he wasn't going to let this go anytime soon.

He annoyed the hell out of her, but she could tell he was a hopelessly nice, if obviously misguided, person. Blake paused for a moment as Yang and Ruby flashed through her mind, making her clench her fists tightly. He was just one more person she'd end up disappointing and like the others he was better off without her. Blake decided then that she would tell him her story and her story alone, that should be enough to scare the idiot away without having to put his life in actual danger by bringing up any of Ren's secrets.

 **-Later-**

She was wrong.

Oh, she was so horribly wrong.

She thought she explained things clearly but now he had come to the conclusion that she was on the run from terrorists which made him even less inclined to leave her side.

"For the last time, I'm not on the run from terrorists!" Blake hissed out as they walked down a fairly abandoned street. "And the White Fang are _not_ terrorists!"

"I get you used to be a member and all, drinking their punch if you catch my drift…" Sun trailed off making her groan as apparently, he figured they were a cult as well. "But bias has it limits, they're clearly a terrorist group!"

"They aren't!"

"Oh, so they don't kill and steal for their beliefs?" Sun asked dryly, making her pause as an image of Adam flashed through her mind, chilling her to her very core.

"They're just…misguided…"

"Misguided enough to work with a guy like Torchwick, they're terrorists, Blake!" Sun said incredulously. "I bet if you were to somehow go to Roman's next heist, you'll find them all there!" Sun said making Blake grit her teeth, Ren had told her the same thing but even then, she refused to belief the White Fang had truly fallen that far.

"Well we can't find out, unfortunately, he's already robbed nearly every store and warehouse in Vale so I doubt he's planning anymore heists now." Blake said, making Sun frown thoughtfully.

"True, the only place left would be the docks." Sun pointed out making Blake pause.

"The docks? Why?"

"Heard some sailors on the ship I was stowed away on mentioning a dust shipment coming in tonight." Sun said, making Blake blink owlishly. "If he were to steal again, it'd be there-oh-no I don't like that look in your eyes." Sun said as Blake began to walk in a different direction with a determined expression on her face. "We are not going to have a stakeout on the docks to look for terrorists!" Sun said making Blake scoff.

" _We_ don't have to do a thing, maybe now you'll leave me alone." Blake said, making Sun curse to himself.

"Damn it, wait up!" Sun called out as he ran to catch up.

 **-With Nora-**

 **BGM: Prison Hall- Sonic Forces OST**

 _["Please Ms. Valkyrie you have to stop! Your vitals are through the roof! Your body can't possibly take much more!"]_

"Ha! You said that five strongholds ago!" Nora said as she raced through the expressways of Vale, nothing more than a pink flash of lightning as she bolted expertly through traffic, intent on catching a large truck that was crushing its way through cars in the distance. Nora just grinned, her heart monitor having long surpassed what was humanly acceptable. "Besides we're almost done! Just one more stop after this!"

 _["You said that last time!"]_

"Yeah, but this time I _mean_ it and not just saying it to get you off my ass!" Nora said as if that made all thing right in the world before to large Atlas mechs burst up from the back of the truck, destroying the cargo container before they landed on the street, sending cars crashing to the sides. One car that was filled with a young family almost fell over the edge but Nora managed to flash through the mechs and make it to them in the nick of time. Gripping the back of the car, her gauntlets tearing through the metal, she pulled them back easily "Get outta here!" Nora ordered as she turned back to face the mechs. The family didn't need to be told twice as the mechs raced towards Nora, their arms raised high as massive blades ripped from them.

 _ ***KRANNNGGGG!***_

Nora's arms trembled as she raised her hammer with both hands and blocked the attacks, the ground cracking beneath her feet.

 _ ***flash***_

" _Come on, is this your limit? Did you not say you would be my anger? My wrath? I must be a very peaceful person." The Empress mused as she overlooked Nora's training, watching the armor-less woman stop the attacks cold with her hammer. Nora's face was flushed as she gripped her teeth._

" _I'm…not done yet!" Nora boomed, her eyes now filled completely with a pink lightning._

" _There we go." The Empress said with a proud smile._

 _ ***flash***_

With a roar, Nora pushed them both back as sparks erupted from her armor, however, the blue color of them and the way the metal of her suit began to screech in protest showed that it wasn't because of her semblance. The prototype was not only at its limits but going above and beyond in a vain attempt to keep up with its wielder.

Taking advantage of their loss of balance, Nora threw her hammer at one, sending it crashing off of the express way before round-house kicking the other mech over the opposite edge and jumping down after it.

 _ ***THOOOOOOM!***_

Landing in a crouch, Nora raised her hand behind her toward her hammer which had caved in the Mech's chest place, crushing its pilot. The Hammer erupted in a flash of pink electricity for a moment before floating up on its own accord and flying towards Nora, attracted by the opposite charge she was producing. Catching the hammer, Nora raised it high just as the mech tried to climb up onto its feet.

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOM***_

The sound of a thunder-clap echoed loudly, as Nora sent the mech crashing right back down mercilessly into the ground.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Hurt- Johnny Cash**

Helmet collapsing, Nora grimaced as she held her side before lurching over as blood shot out from her mouth. Her body trembled as her eyes were now blood shot. She panted tiredly as blood poured from her nose. The plating of her armor was now warped and the entire suit overall looked barely functional, a mere twisted shell of what it was earlier that day.

 _["Please, return to base…I can't bear to watch a young girl like you do this to yourself. You're barely more than a child…"]_

"I haven't been a child in a long time, doc." Nora said with a chuckle as her days as a homeless orphan flashed through her mind ever so briefly.

 _["Don't do that, don't laugh to hide the pain. It's okay to show weakness, to take a break, to_ _ **rest.**_ _"]_

"I can't rest. Not yet." Nora said tiredly as she forced herself to move forward while holding her side, dragging her hammer behind her as if she barely had the power to lift it any more.

 _ ***Flashback: One Day Before the Fall of Rose***_

" _So, what did you want me to see? Besides a naked Jaune?" Nora teased as she and the Empress stood on her balcony. She was surprised that the Empress would suddenly summon her, especially as she tried so hard to hide any evidence of her's and Jaune's relationship._

 _Poorly, but Nora respected the attempt._

" _I want you to see this. The final sunset of my reign." The Empress said quietly making Nora pause, her blood running cold as she looked over at the Empress in horror._

" _Ruby, stop, don't start talking like this–" Nora stopped when the Empress raised a hand for her to be quiet. The Empress stared down at Nora, her eyes shadowed by her bangs, but the twin trails of tears were clearly visible._

" _I entrusted you all with different secrets over the years, allow me to pass on this last one. Out of all the knights, I pushed you the hardest, broke you down and rebuilt you. Over and over and over…" The empress began, her voice wavering with each word as she gently grasped the side of Nora's face gently. "You probably believed it was because I blamed you for my sister's death."_

" _Ruby–"_

" _Understand, that not once did I ever blame you for that. That sin is not yours to be burdened with. I was harder on you because I saw you as my sister in all but blood." The Empress said quietly. "This will be my final order to you as Empress. Look after them, protect what we built together. Jaune will never take the throne when I'm gone so I will leave it you and Ren. Continue our legacy."_

" _Stop talking like this, this isn't funny! You aren't going to die–" Nora stopped when Empress placed a hand over Nora's mouth, her eyes glowing through the shadows of her bangs as Nora's irises turned silver._

" _ **Silence."**_ _The Empress ordered firmly. "Understand that some things_ _ **must happen**_ _. Of all the knights you have always been the most rebellious, so you will_ _ **obey**_ _this one command. I have an heir picked, however, should she not be ready or should something happen to her_ _ **you**_ _will lead them. All will make sense in time." The Empress began as she placed her forehead on Nora's and closed her eyes. "I'm so sorry, but it seems I must be cruel until the bitter end._ _ **Never speak of what we talked about here again."**_ _The Empress said as Nora's eyes returned to normal._

 _Immediately, Nora pushed the woman away from her. Angry tears filling her eyes as she opened her to scream at the Empress only to pale when no sound would come out. Trembling she turned to move towards Jaune, to wake him up, to try to convey what was happening but her body wouldn't budge._

 _She had lost control._

 _The Empress had broken her only promise, to never steal that one simple thing from her knights._

" _ **I hate you."**_ _Nora whispered, physically unable to scream unless she wakes up Jaune. The feeling of betrayal hurting more than any wound._

" _You should." The Empress said with a tearful smile. "Especially after I turned you into a–"_

" _Don't. Say it." Nora interrupted vehemently as the Empress just softened her expression before deciding to heed Nora's request. It was then the Empress did something that no one would have ever expected her to do._

 _She bowed._

" _Thank you for your service." The Empress said quietly as Nora's body shook with silent sobs._

 _ ***Flashback: End***_

Three words.

Those three words that came from her mouth hurt more than anything Nora endured to that point. Knowing that in the Empress' final hours, she even dared to say that no matter how justified she felt would torture Nora for the rest of her life. The pain she felt on a daily basis made her current state feel like a walk in the park.

The fact that she could only watch as her companions grieved and not say a thing only made things worse. Every moment, this knowledge that the Empress _truly_ knew her death was coming, that this was all part of some plan she had yet to understand…ate away at Nora's very soul. She wanted to cry and never stop but she couldn't.

So, she smiled.

She'd smile through the pain, she'd be stronger than it, she'd follow the Empress' last wish. Whether she wanted to or not didn't matter anymore. Once the Empress breathed her final breath it had become a matter of principle.

Nothing more.

Nothing less.

Though she hoped Yang would prove to be a far better _sister_ and succeed where she failed.

"I still have one more stop. I can't rest. Not yet." Nora said, speaking through ragged breaths as she stumbled through the shadows of the city.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Later: Vale: Docks-**

"Holy crap, they actually showed up." Sun whispered in morbid fascination as he and Blake sat on top of a cargo container, shadowed by the darkness of night as they watched as none other than Roman Torchwick directed various White Fang members towards the dust shipments. "Okay, even your biases can't ignore hard evidence like that!" Sun said as Blake trembled with barely repressed anger as she gazed over at the thief. "Come on, we got our scrolls, lets call the cops and call it a day." Sun said as he pulled out his scroll before frowning when he saw Blake bow her head. "Blake?" Sun asked before sighing and reaching out to place a comforting hand on her shoulder. "I can't imagine how you must feel, but it is what it is. We gotta call the cops–" Sun stopped when his hand suddenly went through her shoulder as her image disappeared.

A clone.

"Damn it!" Sun exclaimed as he saw Blake land below him and rush towards him. Cursing, Sun pocketed his scroll as he went to go after her only to stop when he felt his body freeze. Blinking, he looked down to find a purple energy covering him.

"Don't be rash, boy." A cold voice ordered making him blink before he glanced back to find Glynda standing behind him with Qrow. "When someone makes a rash decision that doesn't mean you have to follow them. What in the world is Lionheart teaching you all in Haven?"

"Y-you're…"

"Glynda Goodwitch, Beacon's assistant headmistress." Glynda answered boredly as she sat him down. "Go alert the authorities, we will look over my wayward student. This is a serious matter!" Glynda ordered, making Sun gulp as he saw the cold expression on her face.

"Please keep her safe." Sun all but begged before leaving the professional Huntsmen to deal with the situation. As much as he wanted to stay and help, he knew better than to disobey professionals in life or death situations. He only hoped that he could get aid fast enough.

"Huh, you know I've done a lot of things to get with girls in my day, but taking on terrorists–"

"–Isn't even top five." Glynda interrupted boredly as she opened up her scroll while Qrow placed a hand on his blade.

"Uh, don't you think we should go help?" Qrow asked curiously.

"We _could_ but think about it. I know you said it was the time for action, but what would be more impactful of a story? World-renowned Huntsmen stopping a slightly above average criminal or Beacon's students defending Vale from violent terrorists? Your call, but I think one would clearly be a better start for getting Ruby's name known than the other."

"Ruby's not even here." Qrow pointed out.

"She will be." Glynda said as if it were fact. "That girl is her teammate, and she is about to be in danger. Ms. Rose may not be the first to show up, but she will show up. That's just the kind of person she is."

"Huh, must have gotten from her mother because I know Tai and I haven't taught her that." Qrow said before frowning. "Why did you send monkey boy off though? He's a student, right?'

"Yes, but one of Lionheart's. Believe me, the last thing we need is to boost his reputation in any way."

"Point. Fine, I'll stay back a bit, but I'm not all for watching kids get killed. The second things get out of hand, I'm stepping in."

"Fair enough." Glynda said she watched Blake confront Roman. "Hm, oh, seems I may have miscalculated." Glynda muttered making Qrow give her a deadpanned expression.

"Excuse me?"

 **-With Blake-**

"You!" Blake shouted as Roman parried her blade with his cane.

"Seriously? Even more of you brats showing up to mess with my pay day?" Roman complained before he found himself locked in combat with Blake, expertly parrying her blows with his cane. His eyes widened when he raised it to fire a shot point-blank into her face only for the blast to fire through her as her image faded away. He glanced back just in time to see her bringing her blade down upon him but before it could land, Blake was suddenly knocked away.

"Now it makes sense how the human was bested so easily, if anyone could interfere with our operations it would be _**her."**_ An all too familiar voice said making Blakes blood run cold. Hands trembling, she glanced back just in time to see Adam approaching her as Hazel stepped out of the shadows behind him. "Blake my love…it's been far too long." Adam drawled, placing a hand on the hilt of his blade.

"Don't give her too much credit, this is the first time I've ever seen this particular brat. She's a bit too much of a pushover too to be part of _their_ crew." Roman said as he twirled his cane before placing it down and leaning on it. "Tell me kitty cat, why are you here? Don't you know curiosity is bad for your kind?" Roman mocked only for Adam to gesture for him to be silent.

"Just knock her out so we can continue on." Hazel said tiredly.

"Oh no, that would be too pleasant for what she's done to me. Both of you get back to the operation, this is none of your business. This is between me and her." Adam said coldly, making Roman quirk an eyebrow.

"My money, my business, pal. What is she? Some kind of ex? Kind of young for you don't you think?" Roman questioned, making Adam growl as Hazel frowned slightly, glancing between his tightened grip on the blade and the now frightened form of Blake.

"I told you. No one has to die."

"And I told you they won't if they minded their own business? But guess what didn't happen?" Adam said before chuckling darkly. "Normally, I'd take my time with you, but the revolution takes precedence."

"Adam." Hazel growled out in warning but it was too late, before he even finished the word, Adam was already sheathing his blade. Hazel's eyes narrowed in disgusts briefly as he saw Blake's head fall from her shoulders only for her image to suddenly vanish. Glancing behind them they found the faunus already making her escape only to be blocked by six White Fang members who each had their weapons trained on her.

Oddly enough, Roman had an odd sense of déjà vu a looked up in the sky at that moment.

"You know those brats I was talking about?" Roman questioned making Adam frown.

"What of them?"

" _That's_ one of them." Roman said lazily, pointing up at the armored form of Nora descending upon the docks. Even though she was covered in a strange new busted up armor, he _recognized_ that hammer anywhere. "She must have been the one raiding us all day."

 _ ***THOOOOOOM!***_

The ground shook from the force of her landing before she rose up, her back to Blake whom looked at her confusion. Gripping the hammer with both hands, she glanced back at Blake and gave a simple order.

"Duck."

With lightning fast reflexes, Blake did what she was told as Nora suddenly spun around and slammed her hammer into the first faunus before the force of her swing lifted him up and slammed him into the other five and sent them crashing through the docks, crashing through cargo containers as they flew.

 **-With Glynda-**

"She was a few seconds too slow, do reprimand her for that would you? Such behavior is not fitting for a Valkyrie." Glynda said as she lowered her riding crop as Qrow just shook his head. The moment Nora had entered the docks, Glynda had sent her flying up high into the air to "make up for lost time."

"That was a damn good swing, but can she take them? Those aren't lightweights."

"In her current state? Not at all, she's drained completely, definitely on the verge of death. That said, she can at least hold them at parity until the others arrive." Glynda said as if it were a normal occurrence which made Qrow wonder just what kind of psychopathic group did he stumble into? What was worse is that his niece _created_ and _led_ these psychopaths.

…

…

…

"Mandatory therapy."

"Excuse me?" Glynda questioned in confusion.

"Ruby, get her therapy when tonight is all said and done, that's an order. Something definitely went wrong in the last fifteen years." Qrow muttered. The shaky at best family, Qrow's own lack of presence, Tai's good intentioned but sketchy parenting, the early death of her mother, and the fact she was almost perpetually happy but overly fascinated with weapons and gothic clothing. In fact, death and danger didn't faze Ruby as much as it probably should have.

Not to mention it took a special kind of person to chose a scythe of all things as a weapon, he knew this intimately. That said, he was raised by bandits to kill huntsmen so he had an excuse.

Oh yeah.

There had definitely been warnings signs that something was…off…about his little cookie monster.

He supposed he didn't pay it any attention because Yang turned out fi-

"Yang too." Qrow added after a moment of thought, with his newfound clarity he realized that Yang might as well had been the poster child for "daddy issues" though it probably pertained more towards the maternal side. Glynda just blinked owlishly before shrugging. A few appointments with Professor Peach didn't seem too bad, the woman owed her a favor after the Christmas party five years ago regardless.

 **-With Nora-**

"N-Nora?" Blake questioned, having recognized the hammer like Roman.

"Run or stay, the choice is yours. Just don't get in my way." Nora warned, her usual peppiness gone. The hyper woman was gone, and in her place stood a soldier ready for battle. Her armor charging up, Nora rocketed forwards towards her enemies, her hammer held tight. Hazel's eyes widened before he held his arms in front of his face to block a powerful swing from Nora.

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOM***_

Hazel went flying back through the docks as Nora turned her attention to Adam. Immediately, the two found themselves locked in combat as Nora expertly spun and maneuvered her hammer to parry his flurry of high speed attacks. As they fought, parts of her armor fell off whenever Adam's crimson blade managed to slip passed her guard and tag her.

"Gnh!" Adam grunted in pain when Nora suddenly sucker punched him and sent him stumbling back. Seeing her opening, Nora rushed forward to land a crushing blow to the faunus only for blood to shoot from her mouth at the last moment, making her stumble and miss her mark. Seeing his chance, Adam stepped forward and stabbed his blade forward.

 _ ***SCHLICK***_

"So, you managed to move." Adam muttered, his blade stabbing through her broken armor and into her side. "It doesn't matter-AHHHHHH!" Adam was caught off as electricity covered Nora's body and electrocuted him, his blade acting as a conductor. As he screamed, Nora slammed her hammer into him with enough force to send him flying away, though his grip never left his weapon which caused it to be ripped from her body viciously.

"Damn it." Nora grunt, falling to a knee as she held her new wound. Her aura wasted no time in attempting to mend the damage.

"Well, looks like it's the end of the road kid, to think I called for back-up for nothing." Roman said as he aimed his cane at her head, right at one of the helmet's broken lenses where he could see a bright green eye glaring at him mercilessly. However, before he could pull the trigger he was kicked away from Blake.

"We have to leave." Blake said as Nora struggled to stand on her feet.

"Thanks for the assist, but I can't. I still have a job to do." Nora muttered, gripping her hammer tighter as she saw Hazel and Adam pull themselves free.

"You can barely stand!"

"But _I am_ standing, how much effort it takes don't matter. If I can stand, I can fight." Nora said, making Blake eyes widen before a storm of electricity ripped free. Blake's hands trembled as she felt the power flowing from the woman on death's door.

 _ ***Rumble***_

Blake looked up in a silent awe as she saw the weather itself begin to change.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

 _ ***KRACABOOOOM!***_

The waves in the water steadily became more violent, even rising high enough splash on the docks as the wind speed increased dramatically. In the distance pink lightning bolts struck down onto the water's surface as Nora's armor began to spark more sporadically, the metal itself twisting and warping as if something inside the suit were trying to burst free.

"Are you a maiden?" Hazel asked suddenly as he ripped off his top and grabbed some dust crystals from a pouch that was strapped to his side.

 **-With Glynda & Qrow-**

"Ozpin never did think about the longer lasting effects of some of his decisions." Glynda murmured as Qrow looked on in surprised at the sheer display of power he was seeing. Even the previous Fall maiden hadn't managed to be able to warp the climate this drastically.

"What do you mean?"

"He gave the last bit of his magic to your team did he not?" Glynda began curiously. "Did you think that something like magic wouldn't warp your bodies more than it already had? That when you had children, the power wouldn't be passed on?" Glynda questioned making Qrow blink before grimacing.

"Don't tell me…the girls…"

"Have magic in them? Yes." Glynda said matter-of-faculty. "And like aura or a muscle, once identified it can be trained and strengthened exponentially. The Empress found her own magic eventually, trained it until she could no more…and once she did…"

 ***Flash***

 _The knights stood, their eyes covered by shadows as Nora knelt before the Empress whom sat lazily on her throne, her palm outstretched towards the Battle Master as the Empress' eyes shone brightly._

 _ ***Flash***_

"She gave it all away, she had more than enough power without it." Glynda said, making Qrow pale as he began to finally get an idea of just how powerful Ruby had become. She truly had become the anti-Salem. "Due to the nature of her Semblance, Nora was the only one who's body was not only capable of absorbing the power but strong enough to not break from it."

"She made her own maiden, one stronger than the others." Qrow whispered, remembering the "fairy tale" Glynda had told him. Both he and Glynda trembled ever-so-slightly as they felt the static in the air, the power surrounding them nearly drowning them.

"Yes, though I probably worded that part of the tale wrong." Glynda said, confusing him greatly. "Nora is not a maiden…"

 **-With Nora-**

 **BGM: Ultra Instinct Remix | [Clash of the Gods] | Hip Hop/Trap | (Musicality Remix)**

"I'm a _god."_ Nora declared with a tone that chilled Blake to her core. Unclenching her fists, Nora raised her open palms in front of her taking on a stance that was a complete one-eighty from her usual more aggressive one. Instead, now she seemed almost passive.

Tranquil even.

" _ **Ragnarok."**_ Nora said before her armor literally exploded off of her body leaving her in her black shorts and tank top as she held her hammer tightly. Blake shuddered as numerous White Fang members tried to run in terror only to get struck down by pink lightning bolts that shattered their auras and fried them where they stood.

There was no joy on Nora's face.

No mercy.

Just a cold sense of duty.

An electric pink replaced the green in her eyes as sparks dance out of them, her very body now glowing as her power freed itself. Speaking of her body, for the first time, Blake could see just how muscular the shorter woman was. She wasn't like the large human before them but rather her muscles looked _condensed._ Though visibly smaller than Hazels, Blake couldn't shake the feeling that her blows hurt a lot more.

"Is that right?" Hazel muttered before stabbing himself with the crystals, an act that took everyone but Nora by surprise as his power drastically amplified while his body seemed to double in size. Blake almost threw up from the sight.

Did that man feel no pain!?

"I believe in no gods. So, what are you to me then?" Hazel questioned as he stalked forward. "What is a so-called god to a nonbeliever?"

"Still a god." Nora answered bluntly now only inches from him, her fist resting on his chest while a torrent of electricity ripped free from his back.

 _ ***KRACKABOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM***_

Only then did sound seem to catch up to Nora's actions, no one was even able to see her move as her power completely engulfed the giant man whom somehow managed to hold his ground and not move.

"I almost felt that." Hazel muttered and only then did it sink in to Blake that the man truly felt no pain. It didn't seem as though he could feel fear either as even though Nora and her were on the same side, she was now completely terrified of the smaller huntress.

"I don't need you to feel a goddamn thing." Nora muttered, turning away from Hazel as she walked away from Hazel, hoisting her hammer up to her shoulder. "I just need you to break." Nora said coldly, and as she walked Blake noticed an all too familiar pink lotus emblem on Nora's lower back.

 _ ***flash***_

" _Here we are." Ren said as he brought her towards his favorite meditation spot for the first time since their temporal leap._

" _Why are we here?" Nora asked curiously._

" _So that I can teach you." Ren said matter-of-factly making her giggle._

" _And just what are you going to teach me?" Nora teased as Ren stood behind her._

" _That it's alright to not be alright." Ren said making her pause instantly. "Your smile fools everyone, but not me and you know it. You're burdened by secrets, secrets that you cannot share."_

" _H-how–"_

" _Because I know you and honestly, you think I of all people don't have secrets?" Ren asked skeptically. "I will teach you meditation, how to cope with your burden. So that you can find one-ness with yourself. For once you find the path of enlightenment you will never feel defeat." Ren said before gesturing Nora to mimic the flow of his movements, ignoring tears that fell from her eyes as she eventually did so._

 _ ***Flash***_

"The fight's not over." Hazel began as he stepped forward only for a pink-lightning bolt to slammed into his neck.

 ***CRACK!***

Once it did, an after-image of Nora slamming a palm strike into his neck could be seen before it vanished along with the lightning bolt. Hazel's legs buckled, his eyes widening as he felt his body tremble despite feeling not pain.

 _ ***CRACK!*  
**_

 _ ***CRACK!***_

 _ ***CRACK!***_

One by one multiple lightning bolts slammed into Hazel's body, each one accompanied by an image of Nora slamming palm strikes and other blows into various nerves clusters and pressure points around Hazel's body. The large man simply fell to his knees, as he looked over at Nora whom glanced back at him.

"You won't find what you seek down this path." Nora said knowingly before turning away from him. Hazel's body went limp as, even with his aura still protecting him, Nora's debilitating blows simply removed its ability to function properly. Hazel could do nothing but watch Nora walk away as his massive body fell down.

 _ ***THOOOM!***_

With Hazel incapacitated, Nora focused her attention on a trembling Roman and a scowling Adam.

"Uh...Hey kid…I know we got off on the wrong foot–"

 _ ***CRASH!***_

Roman stopped talked as Nora's hammer smashed through his image like glass, making her glower as she felt the static in the air shift. Glancing back, she saw Roman being held by Neo behind her.

Neo.

 _Neo._

 _ **Neo.**_

" _ **You."**_ Nora said darkly, the image of the fallen Empress flashing through her mind as Neo shuddered at the feeling of pure hatred being directed towards her. Neo's eyes widened again as her and Roman's images once more shattered when Nora tore through them.

 _ ***CRASH!***_

 _ ***CRASH!***_

 _ ***CRASH!***_

The mute thief was now completely terrified as no matter where she tried to run away with Roman, the enraged huntress managed to find them somehow and seemed particularly intent on seeing her dead for reasons she didn't know.

" _ **Enough."**_ Nora said menacingly, and Neo decided then that she didn't like that tone. Nora threw her hammer high into the air while holding on to its handle tightly, sending both her and it into the air like a reverse lightning bolt.

 **-Glynda & Qrow-**

"God damn it, no one authorized a god blast." Glynda cursed, filling Qrow with dread.

"I take it that's not good?"

"It'll wipe these docks off of the map." Glynda said bluntly, making Qrow curse. "Still, Nora's severely weakened and she can only hold that form for two minutes max on a good day with her current body. The attack should be weakened enough to not cause _too_ much damage."

 **-With Nora-**

 **BGM: END**

Nora's body returned to normal, all her power flowing to her hammer as her wounds reopened. Gritting her teeth, Nora held her hammer tightly as she fell down towards Neo and Roman without mercy.

"Die!" Nora boomed before slamming her hammer down upon them only for their images to shatter once more. However, instead of hitting an empty spot, in their place stood Adam whom blocked the blow with his blade. Nora's eyes widened in horror as the ground beneath them shattered as her power was absorbed by the faunus.

"This power…you might actually be a god." Adam admitted with a sinister smirk as the red on his body began to glow brightly as a crimson lightning engulfed his body. Effortlessly knocking the drained Nora to the side, he placed a hand on the hilt of his blade. "Too easy." Adam scoffed before running past Nora and towards his true target, the terrified and frozen form of Blake. Time seemed to slow as the world itself seemed to turn red and black as Adam gripped his blade tighter, a pulse of pure power ripping free from his body. Blake attempted to make a clone but even then, she was too slow to escape the radius of the attack.

"No!" Blake heard before a pink light flashed before eyes, her heart stopped when she realized Nora had used her incredible speed to throw her very body over Blake's to block the oncoming attack.

"I'll just kill you both!" Adam growled out before drawing his blade.

 _ ***SHING!***_

Everything.

Everything in front of the man simply began to disintegrate from the force of his deal attack. Even many of his own men found themselves torn asunder by the might of their leader who was blinded by his own rage.

A few of the airships the were attempting to fly away with the dust also found themselves destroyed along with the dust as everything in front of Adam simply ceased to exist. Even Adam, whom had put all of the stolen power into the attack found himself awed by the destruction he caused, never having been able to do something of this magnitude before. In the distance both Glynda and Qrow found themselves shocked as half of the docks simply vanished into nothingness.

For a moment Nora's aura managed to hold up, protecting both her and Blake but try as she might, she knew she was spent as she felt her aura cracking as Adam's power rushed over them. Still, Nora held on as tightly as she could.

She was a Valkyrie.

She either left the battlefield last or not at all.

And in the end, she accomplished her mission, and drastically reduced their enemy's resources for their eventual invasion on Vale.

She did her job.

Now it was time for the other to do theirs'.

Giving Blake one of her patented smiles, Nora gazed down at the horrified huntress.

"Don't worry, Blake, you'll be fine. Everything will work out in the end." Nora said, making Blake's eyes water as she saw Nora's aura fading away. She tried to knock the woman of, roll her over or something to stop her inevitable death. However, it seemed Nora intended on keeping her grip strong until the very end.

"No!" Blake screamed, Nora's solemn smile being the last thing she saw before being blinded by a white light.

 _ ***KRANNNNNNNNNNNNGGGG!***_

…

…

…

When the light died down, Blake opened her eyes to find Nora's body slumped over hers. Blake blinked as her body felt stronger than it ever had before. Sitting up, cradling Nora's still intact body in her arms, she looked up in confusion towards Adam. Despite his mask, he seemed just as mystified as she was that she and Nora were still one piece. Glancing back, she noticed that she was now sitting on the edge of the docks, the rest of if having been disintegrated.

Hazel trembled a bit at the sight, not of the two huntresses surviving, but all of the deaths Adam had brought upon his own men.

They swore their loyalty to him.

And he erased them without a second thought.

"D-damn…don't tell me I drug you to hell with me." Nora muttered looking up tiredly at Blake. Blake looked down at Nora, mystified as she saw that both of their bodies were now covered in a white almost flame-like aura. "Oh shit…we're alive?" Nora asked making Blake nod mutely. "That idiot, always with the dramatic entrances." Nora muttered fondly, confusing Blake greatly.

 **BGM: Battle on the Deck- Maple Story OST**

"Tch." Adam clenched his fists as he looked up before leaping back just in time to avoid a powerful blow from Crocea Mors as Jaune landed between him and the huntresses.

"Tired already, Valkyrie? You've lost your edge." Jaune teased, holding his hand out towards her.

"Like you're one to talk." Nora said with a tired laugh as he pulled her up to her feet, Jaune's aura slowing the immediate bleeding from her most severe wounds. "I swear, you have the worst timing ever."

"But did you die?" Jaune asked as he deployed his shield while Nora's hammer flew over to her.

"You're still going to fight!?" Blake asked incredulously.

"Of course, I'm standing, aren't I?" Nora questioned as if her near death hadn't fazed her in the slightest. "Besides, the cavalry is here." Nora said as broken airship parts could be seen floating in the air before slamming down upon Adam who was forced to cut through them. Glancing to the side he found Pyrrha and Weiss entering the battlefield.

"What do you know? You made it." Jaune said, making Pyrrha smirk.

"Like I'd miss this. You know I've been itching for a fight." Pyrrha said as Weiss drew her weapon.

"I too have been a bit bored lately." Ren said, stepping from the shadows, startling Blake as he seemed to have come out of nowhere. "Where are the others?"

"We split up in the city but they should be right…"

"Blake!" Ruby called out in the distance where they could see he rand Yang entering the docks.

"…there." Jaune said. Ruby grabbed Yang's arm before they both vanished in a swirl of rose petals before reappearing in front of them.

"Oh my god, are you alright!?" Ruby asked in alarm as Yang pulled Blake to her feet. Yang's fists tightened as she looked at the destruction that surrounded them. She and Ruby had been on the way when they saw half of the docks suddenly disappear. She didn't know what exactly caused it but she knew that whatever it was it was aimed at her friends.

And that just wouldn't do.

"Nora." Yang interrupted, her voice not conveying worry or relief like Ruby's was. No, her voice only contained barely restrained fury as she took in Nora's state and her possibly life-threatening wounds. The shorter huntress looked as though she were going to keel over any moment. "Who did this?" Yang asked as she placed a hand on Nora's shoulders as Ruby shuddered.

She knew that voice.

It was the voice Yang used when she was only going to ask a question once.

At times like this, the last thing anyone wanted to do was make Yang repeat herself.

However, when the relief of finding her lost teammate faded, Ruby too began to take quickly take in the situation. It was almost startling how Ruby's express quickly shifted as she reached the same conclusion as her sister.

Someone had just tried to kill their friends.

This wouldn't do at all.

Teams RWBY and JNPR had become like their family over the past few months, and one didn't harm their family without facing dire consequences. Fortunately, or unfortunately, Nora didn't even have to answer as Adam made himself known once more.

"More friends, Blake?" Adam asked making Blake shudder, something that didn't go unnoticed by Weiss whom narrowed her eyes slightly.

"Don't worry, I have some friends too." Roman said as the sound of an airship flying over them could be heard, inside of it were three masked individuals whom immediately jumped out when they heard the sound of twisting metal.

 _ ***SCREECCCCH***_

*KABOOOOOOM!*

As one, the three masked newcomers landed before Roman. The metal ball of fire that was once their airship fell into the water as Pyrrha lowered her hands.

"Well, never thought Mistral's golden child could be so ruthless. That was quite expensive you know?" The masked woman said nonchalantly as a single flame escaped the right eye-hole of her mask. "Did you really call us to deal with children?" Cinder questioned dryly as Mercury and Emerald prepared for battle.

"One of those children literally just crushed an airship with their mind." Roman said dryly. "So yes, I do believe some assistance may have been necessary."

"Gnh…grrr… _**MOOOOOOOOOOVVVEEEEEEE!"**_ Hazel roared in pure fury, demanding his body listen to him. Whether it was sheer will, or an unbearable strain that he himself couldn't feel, his body seemed to snap to attention as he broke free from the paralysis Nora had put him in.

"Hazel?" Cinder whispered, her eye widening ever-so slightly as she saw the state he was in. "Perhaps our assistance was necessary." Cinder said quietly, her hands igniting with flames.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Glynda & Qrow-**

"This is what we were waiting for." Glynda said as she began to record the scene. "This just might be a full-on war on the docks."

"That's them…" Qrow said with gritted teeth, their face was hidden again but he knew without a doubt he was staring at the people whom had ambushed the fall maiden. "Glynda, can they take them?"

"More than likely, their enemies don't know their true strength while the knights at the very least know exactly what to expect." Glynda explained, silently praising Qrow for not jumping in the moment he saw those who made him fail his last mission.

"Big picture, I have to look at it and play the long game, right?" Qrow asked, as if reading Glynda's mind. "Tonight, is about a message. What message? I still don't know but you'll fill me in."

"You're learning," Glynda said with a patronizing smile that made Qrow glower at her.

"I'm going to hit you."

"You'll try. Now let's see how they fare? Shall we?"

 **-With the Knights-**

Ruby gripped her scythe tighter as she looked at Cinder. Those flames and the fact that she was with Roman quickly made her realize that it was the same woman that had attacked the dust shop that fateful night. She also knew that whoever that woman was, was enough of a threat to make Glynda go all out on sight. As far as Ruby was concerned the flaming woman was the biggest threat. It was then her silver eyes moved over the rest of their enemies while she thought about the current state of her allies.

"So, Jaune, what do we do?" Pyrrha asked, though the vicious smile growing on her face and the way her body shifted anxiously let Jaune know that Pyrrha wasn't expecting any answer but "Fight."

Instead of giving an order, however, Jaune glanced at Ruby and surprised them all by repeating Pyrrha's question to her. Though they were both team leaders, Jaune was both older and a higher-ranking student overall, when both teams were together like this they had all just assumed he would take point.

"Well, Ruby? What do we do?" Jaune asked again as tension rose. "You seem to have already come up with something." Seeing that he was truly expecting her to take charge, Ruby felt herself slip into a focused state not unlike the one she slipped into against Blake and immediately responded.

 **BGM: Throne- Bring Me the Horizon.**

"Jaune, you take on the big guy. Pyrrha, deal with the fire lady. Nora, Ren, deal with Roman and his lackies." Ruby barked out, instantly pissing off Mercury and Emerald when they realized they were the lackies. "Weiss, watch over Blake, she's too shaken to help." Weiss even surprised herself when she immediately stepped in front of Blake, weapon drawn fend off potential attackers.

This was no time for personal feelings.

She was a huntress. It was time for her to act like it.

"Yang you're with me. Let's go!" Ruby shouted before both she and her sister blasted off towards Adam. Cinder immediately found herself having to burn melt away a piece of scrap metal when Pyrrha suddenly charged her down, laughing as she did so.

"Don't disappoint me!" Pyrrha ordered before she and Cinder found themselves locked in a cosmic rematch.

"This will be a piece of cake, you're barely standing, kid." Roman chuckled as he looked at the wounded form of Nora. "You'll die if you keep this up!" Roman said as Neo smirked.

"I can live with that." Nora said as she hoisted her hammer up onto her shoulder, blood spilling from her wounds as she and Ren stood back to back while he gazed down upon Mercury and Emerald. Meanwhile, Jaune and Hazel sized each other up as they walked towards each other as Jaune placed his blade in his shield before collapsing it. Slowly, they picked up speed as Jaune raised the sheathed blade by its handle and transformed it into a greatsword that he dragged on the ground, creating bright sparks as his aura began shining brightly.

 _ ***BOOOOOOM***_

Hazel's fist met Jaune's blade, the ground shattering from the impact. For a moment the two just glared at each other before they simultaneous began attacking each other at blinding speed, creating dozens of shockwaves.

 _ ***FWOOOOOOSSSSHH!***_

Pyrrha held back a stream of fire with her shield, narrowing her eyes at Cinder before doing a quick dodge roll to escape. Recovering quickly, Pyrrha threw the spear at Cinder whom flew to the side to avoid it. Raising a black tinted hand, Pyrrha began to make quick movement switch it causing her spear to chase Cinder down, maneuvering the weapon around any of Cinder's attempts to destroy it.

" _ **Get back here!"**_ Yang roared as she went to deliver a vicious right to Adam only for him to duck under it. Gripping his blade, he went to cleave her in two, only for a swirl of rose petals to slam into the blonde and send her out of harms way while Ruby leaned back just far enough for the blade to fly over her head. Yang quickly recovered with a flip and shot towards Adam once more as Ruby released a shot that sent her towards him as well.

"Damn humans!" Adam cursed as he found himself defending against the onslaught of the sisters from opposite directions. Whenever he would try to counter attack one of them, the other would jump in and put him back on the defensive. All he could do was bide his time as he blocked their attacks with his blade and felt his power grow.

"This…" Blake trailed off quietly as she watched the carnage.

"…is the group of idiots we call friends." Weiss interrupted making Blake look up at her. "There are only two types of huntsmen, I see that now. Idiots and cowards. I always called them idiots, but it's only recently that I realized I wouldn't want to have them any other way." Weiss said before frowning as she looked down at Blake in disgust. "You however, are trash. Not because you're a faunus, not because, you were with the White Fang, but because you will sit there and willingly let your loved ones fight for you because you are too scared to do anything. What's worse is I'm being forced to watch over you, but orders are orders."

 **BGM: END**

"What could I do? Huh? Answer me! Am I coward? Yes! I admit it! When things get tough I leave because it's easier for everyone that way!" Blake snapped, her eyes glistening. "You don't know Adam! You don't know how strong he is! They can't beat him!" Blake snapped as Ruby was kicked back across the battlefield before Adam was for to dodge a barrage of shots from Yang's gauntlets while Ruby got back to her feet.

"You're right, they probably can't beat him." Weiss said with a nod before a fierce determination burned in her eyes. "But you know what? I bet _we_ could." Weiss said before looking back at the fight. "If JNPR can't finish faster, they will die. And you know what? Those deaths will be on you. And they will be on me for following orders I believe are wrong."

"Weiss–"

"I'm not here because I have faith in you, Blake, I'm here because I have faith in _them_ and _they_ have faith in you. They see something in you that I truly don't believe exists. They see a fighter." Weiss said before scowling. "You Faunus are supposed to be oh so in tune with your instincts. Yet here you are. It's supposed to be fight or flight. Either fight or get the hell away so I can, but don't just sit there."

"I…" Blake trailed of her arms trembling as she realized Weiss had a point. She could have left by now.

Yet she didn't.

"I…"

"Can't move. You're struggling. Something is there stopping you from running." Weiss said, as if reading Blake like one of her favorite books. "How about you do us all a favor and let that side of you that's keeping you here win?"

"I-I…"

"You're a Belladonna, right? I've been told your father is a powerful man, a good man supposedly, surely you have some part of him in you? Waiting to get out?" Weiss questioned, narrowing her eyes. "Well? What are you waiting for? Get the hell up. Stand and fight!" Weiss ordered as Blake's trembled an unfamiliar feeling flooding her veins.

 _ **["Blake…"]**_ Blake's heart clenched as she began to remember her father's voice.

 _ ***flash***_

" _I want to be big and strong like you, daddy! I want to help our people too!" A five-year-old Blake said, tears in her eyes as she stared at the back of her father whom was standing on a balcony overlooking the Menagerie._

" _Haha! And you will, one day!" Ghira said with a feral grin as he lifted his little girl up in arms and turned her to face the village surrounding them. "One day all of them will look up to you for guidance, but that day is not today. You're a good girl with a good heart, which makes for a great leader. That said, its hard for a great leader to keep those attributes. You're kind, but that's not enough. Sometimes you will have to get angry and it's how you use that anger that will determine just what kind of leader you can be for our people."_

" _B-but anger is a bad thing, right?"_

" _When you're using it to harm others? Yes. Our people are tired and hurt my little cub. That said, an eye for an eye will just make the world blind." Ghira said wisely as he wiped away Blake's tears. "However, when you're using that anger, that rage, to protect? Letting the animal in you be free to defend its home? You will find a power you never thought possible. I wish I could tell you that it will be easy, but I'm afraid your father isn't strong enough to make things right for our people before you come of age."_

" _B-but you're the strongest!"_

" _One of them." Ghira said with a cheeky smile and a wink. "But I'm far from the strongest. Someone will always be stronger than you Blake, even now I'm talking to someone who will far surpass me in time." Ghira said, making his daughter look at him with wide eyes. "And I know that when that day comes, you will use that strength to do what is best for our people." Ghira said before kissing Blake on her forehead. "Just promise me, don't be afraid of the beast within."_

 _ ***flash***_

 _ **["It will be your greatest ally."]**_

 **BGM: Judgement- Devil Man Crybaby OST**

"Gnh!" Blake grunted holding her head in pain as she felt a fire flooding her veins _._ Her body shook in pain as it shifted in agony. Weiss looked done in confusion as Blake gritted her teeth, sounds of bones cracking and joints popping as her fangs elongated. Claws spring from Blake's hands and dug into the concrete with ease as her muscles tightened before Weiss' very eyes. Looking up through her bangs, her vision blurred by tears of pain, she watched in anger as Yang was knocked to her back with Adam now standing above her with his blade poised to kill.

 _ ***Ba-dump***_

"Nooooo **ooooooo-AHHHHHHHH!"**

 _ ***BOOOOM!***_

Weiss was knocked back a few feet as an invisible power erupted from Blake's body, her scream now a roar which echoed throughout the night, chilling the hearts of all whom heard her. Her roar distracted Adam enough for Yang to slip away as he watched in disbelief as Blake ran towards him on all fours, her claws tearing through the concrete as she approached.

Fight or flight

 _Fight or flight_

 _ **Fight or flight.**_

" _I will…"_ Blake though before leaping up and descending upon Adam, her vision now clouded by a red haze, her mind fueled by her primal rage. _**"Fight!"**_

 _ ***SCHLICK!*  
**_

Immediately, Adam rammed his blade through Blake's chest, his instincts taking over as he– for a split second– felt genuine fear facing Blake. He twisted the blade deeply making Blake growl before grabbing his blade with her bare hands. Confusion turned to dread for Adam as he suddenly felt a presence behind him. Glancing he back, he did so just in time to find a claw descending upon him with enough force to sending him crashing back through the docks.

 _ ***SHIINNNNG!***_

Stabbing his blade into the ground, Adam used it to brace himself and recover from the knock back before looking up in fury towards the two Blake's that now stood before him. A black mist escaped the chest of the one he stabbed before the wound healed.

"It's solid?" Adam questioned incredulously. Across the docks, Ren sent both Mercury and Emerald flying back with well placed palm strikes to their chests. Glancing over at Blake, even Ren couldn't help the smirk that graced his lips.

"Finally. You have substance." Ren muttered before stepping back, easily dodging a blast from Mercury.

 _ ***THOOOOOM!***_

Glancing to the left, Adam growled as he saw Weiss walking towards him, a massive shining knight climbing from the ground beneath her.

 _ ***FABOOOOOM***_

"We're not done yet." Yang bit out angrily, her power continuing to rise as the ground beneath her began to melt. Behind him, Ruby landed on a crane and gazed down upon him, her eyes shadowed by her bangs as her shoulders shook. Blake managed to distract Adam, but Ruby knew he was moments away from killing her sister.

It was official.

There was no one Ruby hated more at that moment than Adam.

"You're going to pay for that."

Two silver lights flicker beneath the shadow of her bangs briefly before her eyes began to shine brightly. Ruby's body tensed as she felt an influx of power filling her, threatening to consume her.

She knew.

Deep down she knew.

This power…it was only a taste of what Jaune and Glynda had been preparing her for. A mere fragment, but it was enough. Ruby glared down at Adam coldly as she focused on the feel, etching into her memory, trying to capture as much of it as she could.

 **BGM: END**

 **-RWBY's Mindscape-**

" _Oh? You made it." The Empress said as she stepped out of a large pool of silver light. The glowing liquid fell off her body as she gazed down at the bloodied and battered form of Ruby whom was bound by rose thorns. Ruby said nothing as she continued to drag herself forward, digging her fingertips into the ground until they bled. "Such determination." The Empress mused as she knelt down before Ruby and cupped her hands inside the pool before offering a taste of the liquid to Ruby. "Here, a taste…" The Empress said kindly._

 _ ***SMACK!***_

 _The Empress blinked owlish as she looked down at the liquid that was smacked out of her hands before looking at Ruby curiously whom glared at her in defiance. Grunting, Ruby continued to drag herself forward until she was at the edge of the pool._

" _You'll do it yourself, is that it? Admirable." The Empress mused as she watched Ruby dunk her face inside the pool._

 **-With Pyrrha-**

Cinder watched in anger as she stared at a massive wall of fire only to see a black silhouette appear before Pyrrha stepped from the flames, embers licking her body as she held two spears in her hands.

 _ ***BANG!***_

 _ ***CLANG!***_

"You're from Mistral, aren't you?" Pyrrha asked as Cinder barely had enough time to block her attack, their weapons struggled for dominance as gazed heatedly into each other's eyes. "Your power can't hide the desperation, the rawness, that can only come from the lower levels. No matter what you do, nothing will change who and what you really are. A scared little girl." Pyrrha taunted, making Cinder roar with fury before her body was engulfed in flames sending Pyrrha sliding back.

"You don't know a damn thing! You have no idea just what you're up against." Cinder said angrily as she flew up into the air, tired of playing around as her power amplified drastically, making Pyrrha shudder with anticipation. However, before they could continue their battle a weight seemed to set upon the battlefield that made body her and Cinder's _tremble_ for the briefest of moments. As one they both found themselves turning towards the source of it.

 **-With Nora-**

 _ ***CRASH***_

*CRASH*

*CRASH*

As Nora tore through the Neo's illusions, she and her opponents froze at the sudden shifted in the atmosphere.

"R-ren…" Nora stuttered out after the man landed next to her, her vision beginning to waver slightly from the loss of blood. "…is that?"

"Yes." Ren said quietly as tears slid down Nora cheeks.

 **-With Jaune-**

 _ ***BOOOOM!*  
**_

"Do you get it yet!? I don't feel a single one of your blows!" Hazel shouted as Jaune's greatsword struggled against Hazel's forearms.

"Took the words right out of my mouth." Jaune taunted as his body began to shine with a white light, cracks began to appear on Hazel's aura surrounding his forearms as Crocea Mors threatened to cleave his limbs off. Aura shattering, the legendary blade cut deep into his arms before Hazel leapt back to avoid losing them. As one they felt the sudden weight and Jaune wasted no time in slamming his sword into the ground before him, both hands gripping the blade's hilt tightly.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

"Everyone, get ready!" Jaune ordered, his eyes filled with power as he reached deep into his soul. With a battle cry he raised his blade high into the air, a pillar of light engulfing him and fueling all of his allies. _**"Lancaster: Anti-Army!"**_

 **-With Ruby-**

Her team buckled from the sudden influx of power from Jaune. Ruby shuddered as she felt her soul intermingle with his on a more intimate level. Her strange new power mixing with his and becoming one.

She felt invincible.

 **BGM: This Will Be the Day- RWBY OST**

"RWBY…" Ruby began, alerting her team. "… _ **end him."**_ Ruby ordered making Adam sneer as he turned to face her, blade drawn.

"Just try–" Adam could barely finish as Ruby was already in front of him, scythe poised to strike. Cursing, Adam and Ruby immediately began clashing weapons, the two locked in high-speed combat. So fast, the two struck at each other, their weapons were nearly invisible to the untrained eye. The power releasing from Ruby's eyes acted as a superior version of the 'visor' she made with her aura. She could see all of her movements and allowed herself to attack faster.

 _And faster._

 _ **And faster.**_

" _How can't I keep up?"_ Adam wondered, feeling blows against his shield as he failed to match her impressive combat speed. _"She's just a girl–"_ Adam's thoughts stopped when a devastating right hook from Yang sent him flying back towards Blake. Blake drew her weapon, six solid clones forming around her before they all leapt up and attacked him from various directions. Growling, Adam released a flurry of wild slashes instantly that tore through all of the clones and dispersed them as Blake landed on all fours. When Adam landed he went to rush her only for the summoned knight to land between them, tearing up the ground from its impact as it brought its massive blade down upon him.

 _ ***KRANNNNGGG!***_

 _ ***BOOOOOM!***_

Adam managed to block the strike with his sword, bracing his weapon with both hands as he felt the power being absorbed inside of him.

" _ **Ladybug."**_ Ruby said as she and Blake flanked Adam instantly making him curse as he found himself getting attacked from both sides. Trying to recover from the attacks that sent him crashing back, he looked up just in time to find both Ruby and Blake burying their knees into his face.

"GAH!" Adam grunted, his mask cracking a bit. Blake threw her weapon at him, holding on to its whip as it sailed past his head, missing him by an inch.

" _ **Bumblebee."**_ Ruby ordered before a propulsion glyph appeared beneath her feet and sent her flying into the air. Behind him, Yang caught Blake's weapon and with a mighty pull, Blake sent Yang flying back up to Adam. Clenching her fist tightly, she punched him with enough force to send him crashing through dozens of cargo containers. Above them, Ruby and Weiss descended from high in the air. _**"Ice flowers!"**_ Ruby ordered as they descended. Weiss quickly created a glyph in which Ruby shot at, releasing a barrage of bullets creating powerful cryo-shots that slammed into the downed Adam and buried him under a pile of ice. Landing next to Yang, Weiss created two glyphs beneath Ruby and Yang's feet that sent them blasting off towards Adam.

 _ ***CRASHHHHHH***_

"That's it!" Adam roared, his power overflowing as he stood in a stance Blake knew all too well. "I'll destroy you all!" Adam declared, patience gone as he drew his blade. However, unknown to him, to Ruby it was as if he were moving in slow motion. Thinking quickly, Ruby actually used her scythe to pull up Yang's foot, making her sister trip as Ruby ducked making Adam's blade sail mere millimeters over their heads. Due to their close proximity, they managed to avoid the resulting wave of destruction before it could expand and engulf everything before him.

"Blake!" Weiss shouted as she tackled Blake to the ground, her knight mimicking her actions and landing above them, taking the brunt of the attack for them as it shielded its master and her teammate. Adam could only watch as the knight disintegrate as all of his targets escaped his attack. At that moment, Ruby kicked his legs from underneath him, sending him stumbling forwards as Yang slammed a powerful uppercut that send him flying up into the air. As he fell back down, the sisters stood back to back, their arms crossed before them as they gathered as much of their power and anger as they could.

" _ **Summer Rose."**_ Ruby said before, as one, they ripped their arms apart. A silver and golden light ripped from their bodies, merging into a flaming dome of power the slammed into Adam. The faunus screamed in agony as he felt his very aura being burned away by the attack which continued to grow. Massive molten fissures spread across the battlefield from the attack as flaming geysers erupted around the docks.

 _ ***FABOOOOOOOM!***_

Eventually, the dome erupted sending the burned form of Adam flying through the air, his blade stabbing into the ground as the sisters stood back to back, in a crater that was quickly filling with water. Their powers were both exhausted as they stood tired, holes and tears in Ruby's cape as burning rose petals showered the battlefield.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Rules of Nature-Jason Miller**

Hitting the ground hard, Adam coughed up blood, his aura cracking as he forced himself up onto his hands and knees. His body trembled with pain as he looked up towards his blade which was stabbed into the ground between him and Blake who was regaining her bearings. Glancing to side, Blake noticed that her weapon had been flung away. Glancing towards Adam's blade and Adam himself who was on the opposite side of the battlefield, she made a decision.

The same one as Adam.

As one, the two former partners ran towards the blade and each other. Realizing two legs weren't enough, Blake easily fell to all four as she rushed towards the weapon in an attempt to keep up with Adam's speed. Still even as Blake's primal rage overtook her, it was clear that he was going to reach to first.

 _ ***FLASH!***_

Time seemed to slow as Blake looked down to find a blue glyph appearing beneath her, courtesy of an exhausted Weiss whom was stabbing her weapon into the ground.

"Get him!" Weiss boomed, her glyph sending Blake catapulting the Blake towards the weapon. Nearly immediately, Blake reached the crimson sword and gripped it in both hands. Time seemed to stop, all color leaving the battlefield except red and black.

Silence.

For a moment that's all there was as the two silhouettes of former partners froze in front of each other. However, time waits for no one and immediately it resumed.

And Blake did not hesitate.

 _ ***SHING!***_

" _ **AHHH!"**_ Blake roared, the blade held in front of her as Adam stood behind her, his mask shattering an expression of disbelief was frozen on his face. Falling forward, one of Adam's horns snapped off as his right arm was completely removed from his body. Flicking the blood off of the blade, Blake turned to face him, blade held tightly as she prepared to end this nightmare once and for all. However, before the blade could connect.

 **BGM: END**

 _ ***Crash***_

Blake's eyes widened in alarm as Adam's form suddenly shattered leaving nothing behind but his arm, fragmented mask, and horn. Quickly turning around, she saw that as the members of team JNPR landed fatal blows to their opponents, one by one they all shattered and simply disappeared as burning rose petals continued to rain down upon the former battlefield.

 **BGM: Home-RWBY OST**

…

…

…

"Well…that was a thing." Nora said after a moment, breaking the silence. "Go team~" Nora cheered tiredly, placing her hammer down before falling back. However, before she could hit the ground, Ren caught her. "Sorry Ren, if I was able to take her down, we probably could have caught everyone."

"You did your best." Ren said quietly. "Think of the big picture, we need them around a bit longer despite how much we may hate them." Ren said before kissing Nora on her forehead. "I'm just glad you came back to me."

"Always." Nora murmured, snuggling into his arms a bit longer. "Now if you excuse me…" Nora trailed off before her body went limp in his arms. He was concerned for a moment until he heard her light snores which made him chuckle.

"Rest, you've earned it." Ren said quietly as Pyrrha walked up to Jaune.

"Tell me, was that the bitch that killed me?" Pyrrha asked curiously as Jaune turned to face her. Nodding, Pyrrha sighed before pouting a bit. "You should have told me she was from Mistral."

"It matters?"

"Of course. If I lost to someone from Mistral then I could understand." Pyrrha said before smirking. "You other Kingdom's are too soft; do you have any idea how much my pride would be hurt if I was killed by someone form like Atlas? Those pansies?" Pyrrha questioned, making Jaune snort. It was then Pyrrha glared at him.

"What?" Jaune asked defensively, noticing Pyrrha's look.

"You're an amp?" Pyrrha asked accusingly. "I thought your semblance was a shield? Don't tell me that was all just aura control?" Pyrrha asked, making Jaune chuckle a bit.

"Sorry to burst your bubble, but yeah."

"You should be sorry. Now I have to rethink my whole strategy against you." Pyrrha complained. It was a then something caught her attention, nudging Jaune she nodded over towards Blake. Approaching her was Yang whom was supporting Ruby whom looked completely drained. "Should we see how they are doing?"

"Nah, give them a minute." Jaune said knowingly. "They need it."

 **-With Blake-**

"Ruby, Yang…I-" Blake stopped when Ruby pulled herself free from Yang and hugged Blake tightly whom quickly hugged her leader back whom nearly collapsed in her arms as sirens could be heard in the distance.

"Don't leave like that again." Ruby ordered quietly but firmly, her eyes closed tightly as she held back tears.

"I'm sorry."

"Don't be sorry, just _be here._ We're your friends, Blake, no matter what you face you need to be able to count on us to help you out." Yang said, glaring at her partner whom averted her eyes. "Run away again and I'll make sure you can never run again are we clear?" Yang said making Blake bite her lip nervously before nodding. "Good. Now come here." Yang said before she hugged both of them tightly.

"Idiots, all of them." Weiss muttered, crossing her arms as she looked away form them. "Though I supposed I'm no better." Weiss mused quietly to herself.

"Weiss." Yang called out making Weiss tense before she turned to face the blonde.

"What–"

"Thank you. I was wrong about you." Yang said with a small smile that made Weiss glower a bit. "You really do care about this team, don't you?"

"Draw any conclusion you want. I don't care." Weiss said, looking away from them, her cheeks flushing slightly. Freeing one of her arms, Blake softened her expression, looking at the heiress in a new light. Despite how she felt about humans, about the Schnee's in particular, Blake couldn't deny that Weiss had shattered all negative perceptions she had about the heiress that night.

"Weiss." Blake began extending a hand towards Weiss. "Let's start over." Blake suggested, making Weiss purse her lips before sighing and accepting the hand.

"Well, I suppose there are less headaches that way-whoa!" Weiss yelped, her eyes widening when after grabbing Blake's hand, the faunus suddenly pulled the heiress towards her and hugged her tightly with her free arm. Chuckling, Yang hugged her too as did Ruby. Weiss scowled as she found herself trapped in the group hug. "Get off of me you idiots!"

"Ah, but didn't you say you were an idiot too?" Blake questioned curiously, confusing Weiss before she looked up at the smirking faunus whom was wiggling her cat ears playfully. Weiss glowered at them all for a moment, but even she couldn't stop a small smile from appearing on her face.

"You're going to be a problem." Weiss said, though her heart wasn't in it while Ruby grinned brightly as for the first time, her team truly felt like one. "Still, they escaped, didn't they?" Weiss began pulling a way from them as her expression became somber. "I don't know who they are or what they want, but they'll likely return."

"You're right." Ruby spoke up, getting their attention as they saw a serious expression on her face. "And when they do, we'll be ready as long as we keep training." Ruby said and by reflex, each member of the team turned and glanced towards their respective "mentor" in team JNPR. At that moment, Blake's eyes met Ren's and the man simply gave her a small nod.

She was ready.

 **BGM: END**

 **To be continued…**

 **Next Chapter: Volume One Finale: Arkos: Schism, a War of Roses**

 **Will: Sweet chicken dinner, this one took me a while to edit due to the length. Then again, I was doing some stuff on the side while playing a game so that explains that…also, meme-surfing and sound trips helped that as well. Multi-tasking is life! Praise the long awesome chapters along with the short ones! All hail Rebuke! Rebuff too! X7 Entertainment Forever!**

 _ **Rebuff: Damn straight!**_

 **YEAHHHHH! Now on to the reviews.**

 **BalanceM88: Thanks for the review, hopefully this chapter answered most of your questions especially regarding Nora. As for the Atlas match you're correct with Winter however, I'll leave the actual match up a surprise though honestly when you see it won't be much of one. Regarding the world bending with volume one ending, it's time to expand a bit more outside of what canon gives us as this story is slowly but surely outgrowing the world the source material has established so far. Things such as culture, laws, etc. for Remnant will be expanded upon a bit more as the Knights gain influence.**

 **Xhope14x: Glad to see you enjoying yourself, hopefully you'll stay for the rest of the ride!**

 **GrissleyMan: I won't lie when I saw your review I legit thought I was responding to the wrong story reviews had no idea you read my other stuff lol.**

 **1\. Oh yeah, the interactions between these will be hilarious the tension will have to break one way or another.**

 **2\. It won't be Winter-oh alright I can't even say that with a straight face, it's totally Winter. The fight might happen soon er than you think…like in the next 2-3 chapters sooner lol.**

 **said. Ren's ideas aren't perfect but they do bear weight. The world he lived in, fought for, and even helped create was all a result of everyone letting Salem take control. His views have definitely been warped a bit by his experiences which is why he the one that will never hesitate, the** _ **deadliest**_ **in JNPR by far. As for Blake her unintentional player status is legit why I have her be the one catching Ruby in her hijinks with Jaune and Pyrrha, the cosmic irony is glorious.**

 **4\. Yeah, like it was war. Ruby had to legitimately attain world domination. Was it with good intentions? Sure. That said, to say there isn't a lot of blood on their hands is an understatement. This chapter showed that many times when they went to battle it was not self-defense but rather to take over territories for their own. Ruby saw every life equally, the drawback to that is that after a while-especially with her near tyranny consuming her- it became a sheer numbers game. She'd easily take a hundred lives to spare a thousand.**

 **5\. Oh yeah, they definitely fucked up. Qrow will be spending a lot of his time trying to make amends and bring an end to the bad habits Yang and Ruby developed due to their family life. The therapy section was not a joke, they have issues that he believes need to be worked out professionally. (Qrow's "Angel" form isn't him becoming an actual angel btw he just has more control over his shapeshifting now. His wings are just bigger crow wings so he can fight and fly simultaneously now.)**

 **6\. Also, yeah, I have two theories surrounding Ruby's dad. Either she just inherited absolutely nothing from Tai which is possible or Summer was pregnant with Ruby and with Qrow being super edge lord and not wanting to ruin their lives, he left her making her go to Tai who she eventually fell for. In this scenario he raised Ruby as his own which means that while Qrow is her father, Tai is her daddy. In the end it's up to rooster teeth that family has literally confused people since the yellow trailer.**

 **Deathtrooper900: Glad you enjoyed the chapter! I'm honestly trying my damn hardest to avoid making OCs in this story, which is more difficult than you'd believe. The counselor last chapter was the closest I got, he's definitely on the line but he was also a character -though brief-that has appeared in some shape or form in the actual show. I too eagerly await that line XD lol thanks for the review!**

 **Aidis: Oh yeah so here's the thing I don't have set dates but my goal, personally, is to update either KoR or SLIAG AT LEAST once a month. That's why I added that interlude earlier, this chapter is literally 3 times bigger than I anticipated. Still here's another update, sorry for the wait!**

 **Xyz: It's not easy trying to unite an entire planet, especially when many side with the enemy. The Empress was definitely not perfect and forsaked her humanity for her people. She made mistakes and this story is basically her attempt to make amends. As for your music choices? Thank you for updating my playlist. I'll probably be using some in Volume 2!**

 **AJ Lexie: WHAT UP LEXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX. Yes, we must all take a moment to fangasm over Undertale music. Have fun on your trip and let me know how it goes! I'm stopping in Germany for a bit before I catch the train. Just trying to make sure I can make it through this trip with my lack of foreign language skills. (Shouldn't be too bad I spent a month in Cuba without knowing how to speak it at all, which was really bad because everyone I em thought I was from there lol)**

 **Doubledamn: Lol I did she appreciated it, and you're right those two definitely have that same vibe. Thanks for the review!**

 **Noise95: Glad you liked the chapter and yeah, he definitely made an error that unfortunately put a rift between them even in death/time travel**

 **The Menace Within: Glad I could make something you enjoy! Hopefully you keep that feeling throughout the rest of the adventure.**

 **0akarigan0: Appreciate the kind words! Just hope I can keep it up!**

 **TheNeah: Almost lol. Yeah hopefully this time around things can work for the better. Lol well the fight is next chapter and the vol 1 finale, and the twilight one shot is unfortunately like 11k words in atm…so joking or not you're going to see that insanity at some point this year.**

 **Dopplerdee: God damn it Dee!…don't change Dee…don't change…lol thanks for the review!**

 **Korben600: Yeah, the first rise was not pleasant, fortunately they have a unique chance to learn from their old mistakes and do things a bit more smoothly. Qrow was Vital in Ruby's life and without his guidance, well you saw what she became. If you expect it, then this chapter shouldn't surprise you in the slightest. Nora's on the verge of death? She'll be fine…just a flesh wound no need for back up lol. Glad you liked the chapter and the fight with Ironwood's champion shall be an interesting one.**

 **Perverted Little Angel: Appreciate it! Glad you like it and yeah, I did that before when I first started out which is why I cringe every time I get a review on one of my older stories. That said I keep them hope for that same reason as it helps me stay humble lmao. Don't get me wrong with Ironwood I like the "character" he's written well for the role he fills, if he were a person fuck that guy lol. Seriously though 5 volumes are long enough to get some info on momma Rose but it is what it is, I'll wait for volume 6.**

 **P.S. if she is a maiden, prepare for the literary gymnastics I'm going to pull off to write around that XD.**

 **DanteNaru: We at X7 entertainment are not responsible for any damages near the "feelz" area.**

 **Dxdragon3895: Yup though his angel form is just more control over his bird form. Thanks for the review!**

 **Littlest1: Glad you liked the chapter, hopefully you like this one as well! Yup with Qrow in the know, the knights have gained a much-needed ally in the long run.**

 **Bankerrtx01: Yeah things are speeding up as Volume 1 comes to a close. The next will not drag, in my opinion, as much as the first one now that the momentum is built up.**

 **Dandyrr0403: Glad you enjoyed the story! Who will Nora fight with? The Answer? Everybody. Lol Yup Qrow is a welcome addition and I can't wait to write him more into the story!**

 **MoonShadowPup: You're welcome! Lol thanks for the review.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Either awhile or a near war to send her running back to Ren lol. The Empress honestly washed her hands of Raven, it wasn't until she started committing crimes against the Empire that she took notice. (Can't have subjects thinking she'd allow "family" members to be above the law after all.**

 **Thanks for the reviews everyone and remember, stay classy!**

 **~RebukeX7**

 **-AFTER CREDIT SCENE BITCHESSSSS-**

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Who are you fighting for!?" A bloodied Pyrrha demanded making Jaune glare at her fiercely._

" _Don't you dare question my loyalty!" Jaune snapped as their blades struggles for dominance. Pyrrha sneered at him, her arms trembling against Jaune's might._

" _Loyalty? Funny, where I'm from what you're doing is called treason!" Pyrrha declared making Jaune's eyes widen before a look of pure fury crossed his face, his power exploding from his body as he pushed Pyrrha down to her knees, cracks appearing her weapons as she realized that this might honestly be the day she died._

 **See the conclusion next chapter.**

 **End.**


	14. Arkos: Schism, a War of Roses

**-Disclaimer: Guess who owns RWBY!? Not me!-**

 **IMPORTANT: With this chapter, Vol. 1 comes to a close. Because it was so close to ending a very important arc, I chose to write this instead of Sora like I intended to originally. As such the next update I will do will be to Sora's LIAG sometime in July after I come back from my business trip to France in two weeks (shout out to my French readers, stay classy!). I honestly wish I could update both stories more regularly, but life is just too busy at the moment.**

 **Rebuff: So, tell them how they can change that!**

 **Well alrighty then! I'm pleased to announce that X7-Entertainment will be beginning its first original adventure in July. The first in my original series will be released next month (More details on the story and where to get a copy (digital or physical) to come when its officially published). Do you like Fantasy? Sci-fi? Well you'll enjoy this story that puts the two against each other in a cyber-punkish era. It'll be a new take on the classic concept of the thief, warrior, magician, and archer RPG stories.**

 **Now you may be asking, what makes this story different than many of you have read? Well without giving out the plot (this will be revealed closer to release consider this a teaser if anything). One main difference is…that I'm right here! Questions, reviews, criticisms, etc? You can actually talk to me, just PM me.**

 **Rebuff: Keep in mind this is only available to YOU, the readers here who helped him build his skills.**

 **Again, actual details about the story and this project that has been more than a year in the making will be discussed later when its available. Long story short, if I can make a career out of my writing, then that will free up a lot more much needed time for ALL of my writing. (as of now I only have about two hours to split between fan fiction and original content a day. How do I get anything done? I type fucking fast.)**

 **Also, want to know how legit this is? Well you can see CONCEPT ART -that's right, I said it- of three of the characters on DA. Just look up "sci-fi magical Book characters" by Eddy-Shinjuku (Note this is NOT me, I can't draw which is why I had this guy do it lol.) He doesn't know much about the plot outside of what I told him so don't ask him questions, but what you can do is show your support and tell him what you think about the picture. Hell, look at his other works too, this man can** _ **draw.**_ **I believe he uploaded my character concepts May 28** **th**

 **Rebuff:…I…I can't even…you're like a whole month late revealing this…**

 **I was lost on the road of life.**

 **Rebuff: You son of a-**

 **Now on to the story.**

 **(SPECIAL THANKS TO Quijibo7609 for Pyrrha's word. I won't lie, this reader alone is probably why this story is even able to be uploaded today, saved me hell of a lot of time trying to think of one.)**

 **(Also, this chapter will NOT feature "battle noises" a couple of you requested I remove them. (I can't from the LIAG series, but this isn't a LIAG story.) Consider this a test, I don't mind either way as I actually don't use them for my original works so whether they stay or not is up to you. So, you know what that means!? Review!)**

 **Featured BGMs**

 **White Flag- Bishop Briggs**

 **Fear in Me-Louis Mattrs**

 **Song of the Ancients (Atonement)-NieR Automata OST**

 **We Are- Hollywood Undead**

 **Believe- Hollywood Undead**

 **Mirror Mirror part 2-RWBY OST**

 **Stand up-Yashin**

 **Shatter Me- Lindsey Sterling Feat. Lzzy Hale**

 **Bloodstream-Stateless**

 _ **Will Power- Persona 5 OST**_

 **Never Let Her Go-Project Vela**

 **All Might vs. All For One-Boku No Hero season 3 OST (YouTube it)**

 _ **Shattered-Trading Yesterday**_

 **Centuries- Fallout Boy**

 **Chapter 13: V1 Finale: Arkos: Schism, a War of Roses**

 **(Alt. Title. World's longest fight scene)**

 **BETAED by: Will of Wisp**

 **-Beacon: Cafeteria-**

 _["Last night panic hit the city of Vale as one of the largest raids in history occurred. However, this raid wasn't carried out by the police or even official huntsmen, but rather huntsmen-in-training."]_ Lisa Lavender said as a video of Nora rushing down the express way, garbed in her armor could be seen. Though her appearance was completely hidden, those who knew her or at least faced her in combat recognized the hammer instantly.

And apparently so did the public.

A clip of a battle-scared Nora on the Docks appeared at that moment, showing her without her armor and the news caster took time to show that they were the same weapon.

 _["Many things happened that night, from the daughter of Ghira Belladonna facing down the very organization her father once led, to the Schnee heiress protecting anymore of her family's dust to be stolen. The motives behind the previous night are still unknown, but sources are scratching their heads over just what could make these two polar opposites work together but they believe they have an idea."_

A clip of Ruby giving out orders quickly to the others showed before she sprang into action.

 _["A prodigy that is no stranger to interfering with Torchwick's schemes, Ruby Rose is the youngest huntress to attend Beacon, being a whopping two years younger than her classmates. Yet despite this, it is surprisingly her that they turned to."] Lisa continued. ["When asked why she made the decisions she did, Ms. Rose had this to say."]_

 _["Well, I've seen the woman with the fire before and she even made Professor Goodwitch serious. I'm nowhere near as strong as her so I thought Pyrrha would be the best."]_ Ruby said sheepishly.

 _["Are you implying that Ms. Nikos is on par with Beacon's headmistress?"]_

 _["No idea, but I do know that if you want a win, you call Pyrrha."]_ Ruby responded. _["The big guy was scary too, which is why I sent Jaune after him. I knew he wouldn't get past Jaune's defense. Torchwick always gets a way, so I figured Ren would be a good match up sense he's the sneakiest."]_

 _["And what of Ms. Valkyrie?"]_ The reporter questioned and it was then Ruby pouted.

 _["I wanted her to stay put, but that's impossible if she can still move. So I sent her after the weakest, she had clearly done enough that night so that was the closest to a break I could give her or that she would take."]_

 _["I see, and why did you choose to go after Adam Taurus with your team? He is not known to be weak or even merciful, especially regarding humans."]_

 _["That was personal."]_ Ruby said, a dark expression crossing her face briefly _. ["He tried to hurt my teammate, I couldn't let that go. Weiss is someone you can count on in a pinch so I knew she'd look after Blake until she could recover, whether they liked each other or not. I went after Adam with Yang. I can always count on her so I knew I'd be alright."]_

 _["Oh? Are you and Yang close?"]_

 _["Huh? Of course! She's my big sister!"]_ Ruby saidbrightly when the clip paused.

 _["This of course caused us to delve a bit deeper. We found out that Ruby and her sister are the descendants of team STRQ, one of the top teams in Vale's history. Though both life, and unfortunately death, had split the team their strength clearly lives on in their children."]_

 _ **["Summer Rose!"]**_ Ruby could be seen shouted before both her and Yang released their devastating attack on Adam.

 _["It's clear that Ms. Rose has nothing but faith in her friends but we learned that that faith is a two-way street. When asked about their opinions concerning Ms. Rose, they had this to say."]_

 _["Fast as hell."]_ Nora said after moment, the woman they had just seen moving as fast a lightning. A grin then split Nora's face. [" _Has a lot of courage and is a great person."]_

 _["She knows why she picks up her weapon."]_ Ren answered. _["Clearly has the most substance and resolve in our school."]_

 _["Terrifying."]_ Pyrrha answered before smirking. _["Her sheer potential is humbling."]_

 _["She's…someone this world needs."]_ Blake said after a moment of thought _. ["She just makes things…better."]_

 _["Best sister ever!"]_ Yang said with a bright grin. _["I was a bit…concerned…about being on the same team as my baby sister, I'll admit it– who wouldn't be? Now though? I couldn't imagine being without her."]_

 _["A reckless idiot."]_ Weiss said bluntly, expression cold as she crossed her arms as the reporter sweat-dropped. _["...with the potential to be a great huntress and the best partner I could ask for."]_ Weiss continued, her expression softening a bit before she simply walked away.

 _["Ruby? Great leader and an even greater person."]_ Jaune said after a moment. _["In a pinch, you turn to her, which is why I did."]_

 _["Do you think she's better than yourself?"]_

 _["I'll put it this way. You want to win a battle? You come to me. But if you want to win a war, you turn to her."]_ Jaune said resolutely, surprising the reporter.

 _["And is that what you think? That we are at war?"]_

 _["Uh…"]_ Jaune trailed off before gesturing towards the nonexistent docks that had practically been erased from existence during the fight. _["You tell me. This sure doesn't look like peace. This is looking a bit too similar to the stories passed down in my family."]_

 _["War."]_ Lisa said, her expression firm. _["A word that has become almost taboo in our society, yet does it hold merit? The warehouse raided were filled with enough dust to supply a small militia and weapons from Atlas that had been stolen. We still have received no comment from General Ironwood regarding this issue."]_ Lisa said before placing her documents down and sighing. _["We have been at peace for years yet was it really peace or just the absence of war? The students who the public are calling the Beacon Eight seem to believe so."]_

 _["You can't prevent and prepare for war at the same time."]_ Jaune said after a moment _. ["That is something my teammate Ren told me. Clearly preventing it isn't working as terrorists can be so easily embedded in our kingdom. So I'll think I'll go the way of my ancestors, to get ready. My dad always said, if there is war then there is an Arc ready to fight it."]_

 _["To think, individuals not yet adults but more than children are already preparing for war."]_ Lisa said as clips of the battles, showing RWBY and JNPR fighting to for their lives, the destruction that was aimed at them, their own lack of hesitance to do what needed to be done. The screen then showed a picture of Ruby smiling when she talked about her sister before a second clip appeared of Ruby standing above Adam, her expression a sharp contrast to the first picture.

 _["RWBY…_ _ **end him."**_ _]_

Her words and expression chilled everyone, her resolve to decimate Adam clear. In the cafeteria Ruby gaped at the screen before placing her face in her hands as she and her friends felt everyone from students to teacher turn towards their table.

"Well…at least they got a good picture…" Yang said sheepishly as she patted her sister on her back. "Come on we gotta head to the auditorium for Glynda's class today, something about a special match?"

"That's weird, she didn't mention any guest huntsmen coming today?" Weiss mused, making Blake shrug.

"Yeah but it can't be students, right? What students could warrant this much…attention…" Blake trailed off, and even Ruby looked up as all members of team RWBY plus Nora and Ren went pale as they caught on and slowly turned to face Jaune and Pyrrha whom were finishing up their breakfast.

"Oh, dear God no." Weiss whispered as even Yang shuddered.

"Shall we?" Jaune mused as he offered an arm to Pyrrha who grinned in response.

"We shall." Pyrrha said before they linked arms and made their way out of the cafeteria, leaving terrified huntsmen in training behind. Ren, pale and trembling, looked down to find a small slip of paper on the table in front of him.

 _[Ren: Open in case you want to interfere.]_

"Ren…"

"…I know." Ren said quietly, closing his eyes as Nora looked more than just a little concerned. She had thought it had been a running joke, she had no idea that Glynda would actually be insane enough to green-light the shit storm that was about to follow.

 **-Ozpin's Office-**

"War!?"

"That is what he said, yes." Glynda said as she stood in Ozpin's office along with the councilor she had spoken to the previous evening.

"It is troubling, though I fail to see why you are upset with Glynda for something the Arc-boy said with his own free will." The councilor said raising an eyebrow. "I have been telling you to inform the public and at least give them _some_ idea of what's going on just in case. Them getting blindsided like this helps no one."

"If our citizens think war is coming, that's will produce an unrest that will leave them vulnerable to both our enemies and the Grimm!"

"Or prepare them for what's to come. Remember what happened to the lives outside the wall?" Glynda asked pointedly. "We can use this."

"Excuse me?"

"Oh?" The councilor wondered turning to face Glynda.

"Think about it. Jaune has made many question what they truly knew. For once they are seeing the tensions that truly exist between the kingdoms. There is unrest, and with unrest people become desperate." Glynda continued as she got their attention. "They'll want someone to believe in, a symbol."

"Like Nikos and Arc?" The councilor wondered, rubbing his chin in thought. They were the top two of the year from what he heard. One was known by the public and the other had family ties than ran deep inside their only military. The more he thought about it the more he approved as Ozpin narrowed his eyes.

"Close but no." Glynda said, confusing both of them. "You're thinking too small. Tell me, who is it that even Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc believe in?"

"…Ruby…" Ozpin whispered to himself as the councilor snapped his fingers.

"Ms. Rose! Of course, she's young but gifted. Team STRQ appeals to our citizens just as much as the Arc family did. Not to mention her recent exposure…we can use this. We can make her a symbol, a pillar, make her the face of Vale, the face used against our enemies. We can recover from both the unrest this recent news has caused but even better; use her to rally our military."

"Again, close but not quite. A single pillar is effective but when it breaks from the pressure, the consequences are irreparable." Glynda said confusing them once more. "I agree, we can use Ms. Rose as the prominent figurehead for this campaign but do not for get that this incident delivered not one symbol but eight." Glynda said as the councilor realized she was right. "Give Ms. Rose a bigger piece, but spread the pressure over the others, make them each stand for something."

It was then Ozpin realized his error.

He had allowed Glynda to dangle the Arc boy in front of him like bait, keeping her intentions obscure and making him believe that her hidden plans revolved around him. Normally he could see through such a lie.

But it wasn't a lie.

It just wasn't the whole story.

Arc was at the center of Glynda's plans but so were seven other students, which included all of the possible candidates he could think of to inherit the fall-maiden's power. She had gotten all of the possible symbols and wrapped them around her finger, and now they were her bargaining chips to do whatever it was she wanted. How Glynda had become so cunning he would never know. He had never taught her how to operate on this level which meant there was clearly an unseen player, but who?

" _Think as hard as you like, but she is forever out of your reach."_ Glynda thought solemnly, knowing by now how Ozpin's mind worked. There was an unseen player, one pulling her puppet strings but unknown to Ozpin, this person was already long gone. An image of the Empress flashed through her mind briefly.

She was a teacher.

She taught her students many things.

But she learned from them even more.

Jaune did not lie, he was who you went to in order to win a battle. However, to win a war, it was Ruby who she learned the most from. The Empress simply did not think in traditional ways, her mind came up with plans that weren't understood until it was too late.

"They're _children._ " Ozpin said, unable to beat Glynda's logic so went for the emotional angle. Hoping that there was some remnant of the woman he knew still there.

"They're warriors. Come, I'm inviting you and the faculty, along with you as well councilor, to a special class I'm giving in the auditorium. All four years are attending. I want you to see the true skill that rests in these students." Glynda said as she gestured for them to follow her.

 **-Later: Auditorium-**

"Listen closely." Glynda began, silencing the student body as she got their attention as a large monitor appeared on the screen that showed different angles of the ruins in the Emerald forest. It was then that they saw Jaune and Pyrrha's aura levels, both full. "You have no doubt heard the news today. We live in…unsettling…times. So, in order to prepare you for what you may face today I'm going to show you a match."

Now she really had their attention.

Even the faculty looked at her in confusion.

"However, it will be no regular match. No, what you will witness here today is a _battle._ This means that they will fight until one is incapacitated or they yield this battle." Glynda continued. "You need to be able to fight tooth and nail, but first you must understand what that even looks like. A such Ms. Nikos and Mr. Arc have both volunteered to show you."

This put all of the first-years on edge, knowing exactly what Glynda meant by a real battle.

However, the second years and above were confused as to why they had to watch a couple of first-years fight. They had often heard in the hallways, first-years talking about how hard Glynda's class was, and they'll admit the woman seemed to up her ferocity in their classes but nothing that warranted the hype the first-years were giving it.

"For their privacy, I muted the audio. In a real battle, emotions are high and some taunts-truly effective ones-cut deep and are brutal. She need to see their actions, not hear their words that they will use to rile the other up." Glynda explained before stepping away from the podium. "Now watch closely."

 **-Beacon: Ruins-**

 **BGM: White Flag- Bishop Briggs**

In the distance birds chirped as two cocoons hung from a tree.

The atmosphere was both tense yet serene.

Pyrrha strode across one of the stone bridges confidently as she stared at her opponent whom was standing at the center of the bridge. His eyes closed as he rested his hands on the hilt of his ancient blade which was stabbed into the ground before him. Slowly a grin grew on Pyrrha's face as Miló was covered in black tint before it pulled itself out from under the shield on her back and flew into her right hand. Picking up speed, Pyrrha rushed towards Jaune and leapt high into the air, her blade turning into a javelin as she descended upon him. At that moment, Jaune snapped his eyes open, his body shining brightly right as her weapon made contact. The resulting explosion sent Pyrrha flying back away from him.

"Heh." Pyrrha chuckled as she recovered in mid-air before landing in a crouch. Her grin widened as she saw the passive expression on Jaune's face, his aura flowing off of him and keeping her at bay. "I see." Pyrrha said as her body began to shine red, her aura hardening around her as she shot forward once more. "I can't treat this like a spar, can I?" Pyrrha questioned as she stabbed her javelin forward making Jaune tilt his head to the side, white spark erupting from Pyrrha's weapon as it grazed his cheek. _"If I don't gather enough resolve, fight to kill, then my attacks can't even reach him."_

"Fast learner." Jaune praised, gripping Crocea Mors tightly before releasing a powerful slash towards Pyrrha's mid-section. However, before the blade could reach, Akoúo̱, flew in front of it and took the blow as Pyrrha leapt back and slid into her fighting stance while the shield flew onto her arm. Raising her shield arm, Pyrrha aimed a black tinted hand towards Jaune, covering his armor with her semblance. However, the black energy immediately dispersed as his aura shone brighter, protecting him from her grasp.

"Oh, I was right, this really will be fun." Pyrrha said happily after seeing her main tactic reduced to nothing. "Show me more!" Pyrrha shouted before blasting off towards him like a bullet as Jaune deployed his shield. A loud ringing sound echoed throughout the area as their shields slammed into each other. Pyrrha's shield arm trembled against his unwavering might as they stared each other down, green mixing with blue. Pushing herself back, Pyrrha stepped to the side to avoid a stab and quickly spun around, her javelin transforming into a xiphos that she aimed directly at his neck.

"Too slow." Jaune said before spinning around with a surprising amount of speed and blocking the attack with his shield. Stepping forward, Jaune released a battle cry as his aura pulsed before he shield-bashed Pyrrha away from him, sending her flying back across the bridge. The moment her back touched the ground she rolled backwards, her xiphos transforming into a rifle instantly before she took aim and fired at Jaune.

One shot.

Two shots.

Three shots.

It didn't matter as Jaune blocked all of them making Pyrrha narrow her eyes. She realized that she wasn't completely wrong about her assessment. Jaune's 'shield' was the biggest threat, it just so happened that it was his actual shield and not his aura like she initially thought. What's worse was with the effectiveness of her semblance reduced, she couldn't even separate him from it.

"Interesting." Pyrrha mused before shooting towards Jaune once more, switching her rifle into a xiphos. It wasn't every day she fought someone whose main weapon was the shield and not the sword. Immediately, the two began clashing blades. Pyrrha danced around Jaune, alternating between her xiphos, javelin, and rifle while Jaune stood his ground, blocking any glancing blows with his shield. Jaune didn't attack often but when he did, Pyrrha knew to dodge. Placing his front foot forward, Jaune stabbed at her making her lean back to avoid the attack.

Pyrrha shivered when she felt the force of the blow pass her.

Using the momentum, Pyrrha dropped her weapon and flipped back to her hands before vaulting herself backwards away from Jaune in order to create some much-needed distance. Landing in a crouch, her blade flew back into her palm as she shot forward once more.

Back and forth

Back and forth

Back and forth

The fight would continue like this, with Pyrrha closing in to attack only for Jaune to block it, forcing her to disengage before Jaune could land a counter-attack.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Auditorium-**

"Oh man, this is going to be intense, I have no idea who to root for." Yang said, laughing a bit as they watched the fight and her classmates couldn't help but agree. On one hand to they saw Jaune as the underdog and couldn't help but want to root for him. However, on the other hand Pyrrha was their goal, the ideal huntress and the source of pride for the whole student body, the entire school.

To say they were torn was an understatement.

"Ren." Nora asked, her tone unusually serious, surprising her friends. "Pyrrha's spirit or Jaune's body, which will give first?"

"I don't know." Ren answered honestly, his eyes trained on the fight. "Both are strong, that said, Pyrrha may be the only one besides you able to break his aura. As long as the threat of her semblance is there, Jaune will have to burn his aura to keep it at bay and she knows this."

"So, it all depends on whether Pyrrha can avoid getting her aura broken until Jaune exhausts himself." Nora realized, which was a lot easier said than done. Those who knew how much aura Jaune had knew that waiting for him to burn through it would take a lot longer than most.

"So, whoever's aura goes first loses?" Blake questioned making Ren nod as Yang looked at them in confusion.

"Uh isn't that how it always is?"

"No, you should know this most of all. These aren't tournament rules." Ren said confusing Yang until a realization hit her before she and her team got a sinking feeling.

Ren was right.

These weren't tournament rules.

These were Glynda's rules.

If you could stand you could fight.

In most match-ups this rule meant nothing amongst the students who weren't yet skilled enough to fight much longer without their aura. That said, this was Pyrrha and Jaune fighting, if anyone could push themselves onward it was them.

"What the hell are we about to watch?" Weiss wondered a frown growing on her face as she kept her eyes trained on all of Pyrrha's movements.

"My word!" Dr. Oobleck said across the room with the faculty and the counselors as they watched the fight. "Such precision! Not one missed step! I have not seen such skill in a long time from students! They must be prodigies."

"No, only one is a prodigy." Glynda corrected, crossing her arms.

"Oh?" The councilor questioned curiously. He was no huntsman but he had been forced to watch enough Vytal tournaments to say the two students blew most of the matches he had seen out of the water.

"Ms. Nikos is the only prodigy, after a few mere exchanges she managed to adapt to a new opponent. I looked over Arc's growth personally, however, he is pure effort." Glynda explained.

"Ah, so you must be rooting for Arc then? You have a soft spot for the boy from what I hear." The Councilor said with a smile. Glynda shook her head in response.

"No, I'm looking for mutual growth in my students." Glynda explained. "The battlefield is a cruel and unfair place. Arc must see that hard work is not enough, that someone will always be better no matter how hard you try. On the other hand, Nikos must see that talent is not enough. Win or lose they will push each other to that realization before the match is over. Either way, Vale wins in the end does it not?" Glynda asked curiously, knowing exactly how to butter the councilor up as Ozpin narrowed his eyes.

"Indeed." The Councilor said with a grin, now even more interested in the fight, to see the future of Vale's huntsmen.

"Now Glynda, Ms. Nikos is a guest in our kingdom, there is still a chance she will return home." Ozpin pointed out, making the councilor frown at the reminder. Legally, nothing was truly keeping Pyrrha tied to them.

"She won't." Glynda said so resolutely that it gave the others pause. She had dozens of reasons why Pyrrha would stay but chose the one that would interest the councilor the most. "Love is a strong incentive, Ozpin. Arc is too loyal to his kingdom to leave while Pyrrha is not."

"Oh? Young love you say?" The councilor question, greed returning to his eyes. Once more the Arc family was one that's name carried weight in their military. He had been disappointed when its current patriarch sired nothing but daughters who, while somewhat skilled in their own rights, had no desire to become huntsmen or even soldiers. When he heard that their only son was patriotic and powerful it was like a dream come true.

In addition, Ms. Nikos had made a name for herself across the kingdoms at such a young age. If she were to bear children loyal to Vale it was already a dream come true. Now, however, a new possibility revealed itself. Should she bear an Arc's children…

…the councilor felt as though the holidays came early.

"Yes, well, as important as training is. These are still young adults, there is surely a time for them to just be…young…in this strict curriculum I hope? We would want to have an environment to help nurture their emotions as citizens of this fine nation." The councilor said as nonchalantly as possible, making Ozpin visibly scowl at the thought of his students being pawns of some sick game.

On one hand Glynda felt for the man, she really did. Years of loyalty were not erased easily and the councilor made her skin crawl just as much as he made Ozpin's. On the other hand, Glynda felt Ozpin and, hell, even herself were the last people to feel offended by such actions. It would make them both hypocrites.

In the end, however, Glynda had a mission and to succeed she had to tell the councilor what he wanted to hear with as much truth as possible as Ozpin was like a walking lie detector. Glynda had made using half-truths her default response at this point, it's what irritated Ozpin the most as he was unable to identify when she was or wasn't being deceitful.

"They are in class from the morning till the afternoon during week days only. Arc and Nikos are teenagers and partners. They share a dorm with two other teammates who are courting each other and leave them alone most times than not." Glynda said matter-of-factly. "I've personally seen the two come back in…questionable…states after a weekend out of campus." Glynda said, remembering the mission to Junior's.

She had no idea what happened.

But whatever it was, it made Ren swear an oath of secrecy.

So, it wasn't technically a lie.

"They have all the _nurturing_ environment they need. Personally, I think they have too much free time as is." Glynda said dryly which also wasn't a lie. With them officially starting their missions, she was ready to work them over time. That said, her new...boss…was vehemently against that. Suggesting things like vacations, therapy, and…rights…

The last one didn't make sense to her, you were free to do anything you wanted as long as it didn't harm another under the Empress' reign. It's just so happened that if she requested something of you, you had to do it no matter what or it was treason.

…which _may_ have been punishable by death…

…but that didn't happen that much! She still had no idea why Qrow was so mortified when she told him this.

 _ **["God damn it Glynda! First off, new law, if a majority of the inner circle votes against one of Ruby's decisions consider that shit vetoed. Not even she needs that much power, war-time or not!"]**_

That was going to make things a lot more inefficient, but she supposed that wasn't entirely her problem any more.

"Now Glynda, nothing wrong with them having a little fun. This is Vale after all, not Atlas." The councilor said with a chuckle as he turned back to the fight, interested to see how it was going to end up.

 **-with Jaune & Pyrrha-**

 **BGM: Fear in Me-Louis Mattrs**

Amazing.

Intoxicating.

Sublime.

All words Pyrrha would use to describe what she was feeling now as she fought Jaune, sparks flying from their blades with ever clash. Her blood felt like fire as her heart pumped in through her veins loudly. She had waited a long time.

So very long.

To find someone that she could fight to her heart's content. Someone just strong enough to truly push her limits, to allow her to finally find that cap to her ability and quite possibly help elevate her past it. It was almost perfect, everything she dreamed of if it wasn't for one problematic fact that put a frown on her face.

Jaune wasn't looking at her.

Oh no, their eyes surely met as they glared at each other but she knew that like always when he stared at her, he didn't see her.

No.

He saw _her._

Her weak counterpart who died. In a way it was fitting, a moment of arrogance that led to her death misconstrued as that of the act of a martyr. It was a special kind of hell, really, that the first time Pyrrha would be trapped in someone's shadow it would be her own.

She hated it.

The looks she received from her so-called companions as if she would disappear the moment she left their sights. Pyrrha was never one to feel inferior, if she were bested then that was it. Someone was better than her, simple, nothing more to be said on the matter.

This was different, however, to be placed in the shadow of someone she _knew_ she was better than.

To be talked to and know that the person she spoke to wished she was someone else no matter how they tried to hide it. It was a scary feeling, Pyrrha realized as her and Jaune's blades struggled for dominance, that if things continued the way they were she would continue to be alone. Trapped in the body of what had essentially become a stranger.

This is why she had made a choice.

Pyrrha's boots created sparks against the ground as she slid back, pushed away by a powerful shield bash that she barely managed to block with her shield. Pyrrha's frown deepened when she saw Jaune's pupils dilate, his eyes switching from being focused and unfocused.

Pyrrha would save Jaune, she'd prove herself to be her own person. Saving him from the hell that the stranger wearing her face sentenced him to. She had realized it, the reason for Jaune's eternal anguish, the thing that kept him from once more being the glorious warrior her companions spoke of.

She realized it the moment Jaune revealed himself to be an amp.

"Ugh." Jaune grunted, stumbling a bit before quickly shaking his head as Pyrrha gripped her weapon tighter.

 _ **["Br-...ther…w..hy?"]**_

"What did you do?" Jaune whispered, a sinking feeling as he stared at Pyrrha with a look of betrayal on his face as he began to hear all too familiar voices.

"What had to be done." Pyrrha said resolutely, her voice hard as her face refused to show the pain she felt at Jaune's expression.

One thing Pyrrha had over the other knights was an _extensive_ knowledge of aura. Oh, she knew they had an idea of how it worked, and Glynda had every medical fact surrounding it memorized. However, where they lacked _understanding_ was with the spiritual side of aura, its true nature.

In Vale, it was hardly talked about.

In Atlas, it was unknown.

In Vacuo, it was forsaken.

In the outer territories of Mistral it was unknown.

However, within Mistral's walls? Especially in the lower levels? It was _religion,_ one to which Pyrrha was completely devote. When Pyrrha heard about Jaune's mental illness, his impending madness, she knew…

…oh…she _knew_ …

That it was not going to be fixed with the contents of a pill bottle. So, it was with equal parts selfishness and selflessness that she hid Jaune's medicine, knowing that if it was out of sight that the knight would forget about them as they were already low on his priority list.

"Jaune." Pyrrha spoke up, her gaze never wavering. "Let go." Pyrrha commanded softly as Jaune felt his body tense. "Everything will be alright." Pyrrha said, placing her shield on her back before grabbing her second javelin. "Fall and I will catch you."

This she swore.

She and Jaune were both trapped in cells forged by her counterpart, and they each had the key to the other's imprisonment.

"We will free each other." Pyrrha said as Jaune stumbled backwards, his vision swimming as the voices became louder.

 **BGM: END**

 **-?-**

 **BGM: Song of the Ancients (Atonement)-NieR Automata OST**

 _Jaune blinked his eyes once, to clear away the tears, and once he did he was no longer in the ruins. No, he was in graveyard, one filled with he corpses of his men. Looking down, he was surprised to find himself in the body of his eight-year-old self. Looking up his eyes widened as before him he no longer saw Pyrrha._

 _No._

 _He saw…_

… _himself._

 _A man too weak to protect anyone._

 _Soon he heard singing, the voice of angels, looking around, mystified, he saw seven beautiful blonde women, garbed in white fabric, dancing bare-foot around the battlefield. All of them wielded two short swords in their hands, giggling as they moved._

" _It's happening again…" Jaune whispered as if falling into a trance as he heard the song. Clenching his blade tightly, he lost himself to it, no longer caring about where he was or how he got there._

 _The only thing that mattered…_

… _was that he got to see them._

" _ **Dance with us Jaune! Like you did when were kids."**_ _The youngest angel said with a giggle, staring up at her older brother whom just nodded with a tearful smile while the others sang their heavenly song._

 **-With Pyrrha-**

"That's it, let go…succumb, you have to make it to the end." Pyrrha said as Jaune collapsed his shield and held the sheath in his left hand. With an almost child-like smile, Jaune rushed towards Pyrrha who responded in kind.

This clash was different.

Gone was his defensive style, no, Jaune attacked Pyrrha with both sword and sheath. Moving with an almost reckless abandon yet still maintain a level of grace and agility that she thought him incapable of. No longer was he playing defensive, no, now he was matching her pace. Blow for blow.

His foot work was impeccable.

Pyrrha realized this as they maneuvered around each other before all four weapons slammed against each other, cracking the bridge beneath them before they were both sent sliding back. Blasting towards each other, time seemed to slow as they swung and ducked under the other's attack.

"You wanna hear a secret?" Jaune asked with a kind smile. "I see angels." Jaune whispered with an almost child-like glee.

"I know." Pyrrha said reassuringly before frowning. "Unfortunately for you, I'm a devil." Pyrrha said making Jaune gasp before he leapt back.

"That means you're a bad guy. As an Arc I have to stop you, that's what dad always said."

"You're welcome to try." Pyrrha said before they swung at each other at unprecedented speeds, each blow containing more power than the last, shockwaves erupted from each clash and destroyed the bridge. However, that didn't stop them as they leapt from each piece of falling debris, attacking each other in mid-air before landing on another.

 **-Auditorium-**

The class watched in wonder as they saw the two continue to fight, whispering excitedly as they saw that Jaune was keeping up. This had been, by far, the longest any of them had seen Pyrrha fight.

"They're…dancing?" Weiss said, a look of awe on her face. She knew this type of combat well, too well, and for a moment she thought she was watching two Winters clash.

"I…had no idea, Jaune could move like that." Yang said looking impressed while Nora nodded, a concerned expression on her face.

"Things happen when you grow up with seven sisters." Nora said absentmindedly before sharing a concerned glance with Ren. Ruby, was just rendered silent as if in a trance as she stared at the fight, her heart breaking for reasons she couldn't understand.

"His demeanor changed." Ozpin pointed out making Glynda glance at him. It wasn't a question, he didn't even look that surprised, he was just making an observation. One that made Glynda see that he was paying as much attention to detail as she expected him to.

"Such ferocity! Are you sure these two care for each other?" The councilor questioned, stunned by what he was seeing.

"It's because they do that they are fighting this hard." Glynda answered. "This is the real reason why I kept the sound off. Those two allowed us to witness a very intimate moment, things are being said that we simply do not need to hear. By the end of this I suspect they will be on death's door."

"But why!?"

"I love Jaune like a son." Glynda admitted, surprising the faculty and especially Ozpin with her statement. For their ice witch to show feelings was a rare moment. "That said the boy is not well. I see now that Ms. Nikos is helping him combat some demons. I advise none of you look away." Glynda said a bit louder, getting the students' attention.

When she raised her voice, you listened.

Simple as that.

"The point of combat class is to place you against evenly matched peers so that you may both learn and evolve as huntsmen. However, and I'm talking to all four years, you all are so far behind where you should be that these two have no one but each other to turn to." Glynda said, turning back to fight. "Watch and see the burden they carry because of your weakness." Glynda said and the students and even teachers began to realize they were not watching a simple spar.

No.

This was about to get brutal and they could feel it in their bones.

"Glynda…" Ozpin began warningly.

"Progress without sacrifice does not exist." Glynda interrupted, making the councilor frown.

"Agreed. I want to see how far they go." The councilor said, crossing his arms. "You are not to interfere with this bout until Glynda here says so." The councilor said resolutely, making Ozpin clench his fists, cursing that his hands were tied on the matter.

If he were to even think of going against the councilor, he knew that he'd lose his position, they had already tried many times before now to make him stand down.

What was worse is that he had an idea of who would be his replacement.

Sparing Glynda a heated glance he turned to fight, wishing he could help his students out of this.

 **-With Jaune and Pyrrha-**

Landing on the side of one of the massive support beams, Pyrrha ran up it, Jaune right behind her. Swinging his weapons, Jaune sent white arcs of pure aura at her which she dodged just barely by twisting her body around them. Switching both javelins into rifles, she jumped back and began unloading both weapons at him.

Laughing, Jaune shifted his sheath into a shield and ran through them, blocking her assault. Frowning, Pyrrha flipped forward and released two shots that sent her crashing back down at him. Both feet landing on his shield, she roared as she kicked him back down before flipping back onto the side of the massive stone pillar. Using her momentum, she shot forward, shooting her rifles to increase her speed before letting them go when she got close to the surprised knight.

Caught off guard by the sudden move, Jaune didn't notice her shield flying up behind him, knocking his feet up and sending his body free falling head first towards the ground.

"Huh!?" Jaune asked in confusion as she wrapped her arms and legs around him. Jaune's aura flashed brightly when she pile-drived him down dozens of feet into the unforgiving grounds of the ruins. Jaune stayed like that, paralyzed with his head forming a crater in forest floor. Releasing him, Pyrrha rolled back, summoning her weapons to her hands, her shield landing on her back, as Jaune limply fell onto his back.

 **BGM: END**

 **-?-**

" _Ouch, ouch! It hurts! Everything hurts!" Jaune cried, hugging himself tightly as the surrounding were suddenly set ablaze. Embers danced around the battle field that was being reduced to ash. Jaune screamed as he felt ropes bind his limbs before his back slammed into a large wooden stake. He was now seventeen once more and bound to a stake as his body continued to shake with pain._

" _That's because you're weak, Jaune." A voice said before the flames came together and formed into Pyrrha._

 _His Pyrrha._

 _With a kind smile and look that said that he could do no wrong in her eyes, she approached him, her body ablaze._

" _But that's fine. I'll watch your back until you're stronger." Pyrrha said reassuringly as she approached him, making his struggle more against his bindings with every step she took. "I'll always be there for you Jaune." Pyrrha said softly, grasping the side of his face, her hand burning his very skin which began to blister beneath her grasp. "Because I…I…"Pyrrha trailed off, an unsure look on her face as she bit her lip. "I'm just so happy to be by your side." Pyrrha said with a forced smile before leaning forward and placing her forehead against his while wrapping him a smoldering embrace._

 _Jaune screamed in agony as he was burned alive._

 **-With Jaune and Pyrrha-**

A shift appeared in Jaune, his expression a lot firmer but still holding a level naivety as he forced himself up to his feet, bones popping in place as his aura repaired the damage dealt to him. Still, despite his visible wounds healing, that very aura that protected him now felt like a scolding flame.

"Finally, you decided to show yourself, bitch." Pyrrha muttered placing one of her javelins on her back before grabbing her shield as Jaune deployed his shield once more. Being an amp like Jaune meant that his aura was very vulnerable to others. It wouldn't be uncommon for him to pick up "echoes" of those he aided in battle.

Fragments of the souls of those he both aided and let down.

This was why being an amp was both valued and seen as a double edge sword. If their aura wasn't broken, cleansed of the lingering echoes, it could drive them mad. Unfortunately, due to the rarity of amps, not many were aware of this fact. Pyrrha, however, learned intimately from her parents about the importance of the soul. In Jaune's timeline, her counter-part had unlocked his aura as she did again in this one. Even if her counterpart had never been graced by Jaune's semblance, that unlocking created a particularly stubborn echo. One that would take more than a single break to remove.

What was worse is that Jaune loved her counterpart, his soul probably did its best to cling on to whatever was left of her's no matter how dangerous or toxic it had become. All this coupled with the fact that Jaune's aura wasn't something that broke normally, terrified Pyrrha.

Not for her own well-being but for Jaune.

Who knew how many echoes he had that were weighing him down.

 **BGM: We Are- Hollywood Undead**

That fear, however, was now replaced with anger as Jaune mimicked her stance perfectly alerting her to just which particular echo was haunting Jaune.

"Shield up." Jaune began as if reciting something as he raised his shield and locked eyes with Pyrrha. "Don't forget…front foot forward…" Jaune trailed off making Pyrrha tense. "And…Go!" Immediately they charged each other, shields colliding and releasing sparks. Unlike before when he used his sword and shield, Jaune wasn't playing nearly as defensively.

No, Pyrrha realized as Jaune perfectly mimicked every one of her moves. This just would not do, if things kept up like this she'd just end up fighting herself into exhaustion. Jaune knew her moves, clearly, but that said, he was limited to a sword and shield. There was a limit to what he could copy. Raising her shield as if to land a powerful shield bash, she baited Jaune into doing the same before switching up and raising her foot and slamming it into Jaune's shield. Using the force from Jaune's shield bash and her own leg strength, Pyrrha launched herself away, disengaging from the fight entirely.

Glaring at Jaune, Pyrrha could swear she could almost faintly see herself glaring right back at her, something which made her smirk. She had been conserving her strength for this very moment. Placing her shield on her back, she unsheathed her second javelin once more as her body began to glow red, her aura shining bright as both her javelins were tinted in pitch black before floating up from her hands.

"It's time for you to pass on." Pyrrha muttered before blasting off towards Jaune, her javelins spinning around her menacingly before shooting off towards Jaune like rockets. Jaune quickly knocked one to the side with his blade while bashing the other one away, but that left his body open for Pyrrha to jump up and slam a vicious knee into his face that sent him sliding back.

"What?" Jaune wondered as Pyrrha used her semblance to shift one of her javelins into a rifle that began to release a barrage of bullets at him. Raising his shield, he blocked the shots before releasing a white arc of aura from his blade, knocking the airborne weapon to the side only to stumble forward when Pyrrha's javelin hit him right in his back. Quickly turning around, he bashed the javelin with his shield only for Pyrrha to slam a vicious right into the side of his head.

 _ **["Remember Pyrrha, the one person you must first know how to defeat soundly is yourself. If you do not understand your own weaknesses how you can hope to grow."]**_

Not letting up, Pyrrha seized the rare opening she had between Jaune's defenses and delivered combination of punches and kicks that even left Yang a bit awed. Blow after blow, she ran them into Jaune, pushing him closer towards the side of the large cliff that over looked the ruins.

 **BGM: END**

 **-Auditorium-**

"She's burning through her aura! Did she forget that if hers goes out she'll lose?" Weiss questioned incredulously while Yang was taking mental notes on some of Pyrrha's movements.

"She has no choice." Blake realized, frowning a bit as she watched the fight slowly but surely get more _real._ The blows being exchanged had long since stopped appearing to be those exchange between friends and instead looked like a fight between enemies.

"You're right." Ren praised, though he looked a bit troubled, getting his friends' attention. "Jaune and Pyrrha have nearly identical fighting styles when it comes to using a sword and shield. Pyrrha realized that and is now fighting him as she would herself, capitalizing on her own weaknesses."

"She has to overwhelm him completely." Ruby said, her eyes never leaving the screen. "She's making her own blind spots, keeping his arms busy so that he can't attack or defend against her."

"Why doesn't he just take the hits then?" Yang questioned with a frown, thinking about what she would do. They had different semblances, yeah, but Jaune had _a lot_ of aura. He could take a blow even better than she could. "It's not like he'd actually get hurt."

"Big picture, if those landed he'd lose even more aura." Nora said biting her lip nervously. "This won't end with Jaune's aura breaking first, it's impossible and they both know that. Now, she's trying to just get it as low as she can so that she has less work cut out for her when her's finally breaks. She's draining her aura to drain his."

"That's…that's insane. She's really going to risk fighting him with no aura instead of just conceding defeat?" Weiss asked incredulously. "Her rank isn't worth her life!"

"This stopped being about ranks a long time ago." Ruby said quietly, making Weiss turn to her, confusion evident. "It's not about winning or losing either. Jaune's hurting, you can tell in his movements."

She was right.

Looking closer she could see that Jaune's body was flushed red, his teeth gritted as he looked as though he were trying to fight his way through some unseen pain, like he was burning up from the inside.

"His aura." Ruby said again, her eyes glimmering ever so slightly. A frown appeared on her face as she began to understand the general idea of what was happening. "Jaune's aura is harming him in some way and Pyrrha _knows_ this."

"His aura?" Ren repeating, looking confused for the first time in a while. As one, both Ren and Nora paled as pieces began to fall into place. Jaune's slow descent into madness had been a major source of worry and confusion for the knights. They had tried _everything_ they could think of from brain scans, medicine, they even tried helping him cope with his experiences and though it would stop for a while, Jaune would _still_ hear voices.

Voices that would speak to him, ghosts he swore to them were real.

And though they loved him.

Though they respected him.

Even despite all the things they had seen to that point.

It had just been all too easy for them to blame his mental state rather than assume any merit to his claims.

After all they had all seen the same things, witnessed an equal number of horrors yet none of them broke like Jaune, which made no sense as they would all gladly say he had a stronger will than them.

It was one of the reasons he was captain.

They couldn't figure out what made him different, and now, years later the younger version of their Empress-whom also found no remedy-may have provided them with one. And what was worse is that it seemed that one of their newest knights had discovered it before them, those who followed Jaune into battle for years.

"His aura…" Nora repeated, face paled as her body trembled ever so slightly, a look of horror on her face. "His _fucking_ aura." Nora cursed, startling those who heard her. Yang swallowed nervously, never seeing Nora or Ren this distraught.

"You two okay?"

"No." Nora said honestly and in hindsight, everything seemed much more obvious to them now. "No, I don't think we will be for a while." Nora said faintly, glancing to the side she saw that Glynda was clenching her fist tightly, her knuckles white even those her expression never wavered. She seemed to have come to the same realization, and to all of the gathered knights and even team RWBY, this fight had managed to gain a lot more weight.

Nora's eyes glistened with tears that she refused to let fall as she looked at Pyrrha whom was now fight Jaune, having forced his back against the wall, her aura now in the red and still declining while Jaune's had only lost a quarter.

For the first time since they reformed team JNPR, Nora and Ren saw _her_. Not the team mate they lost, but a young knight, hand picked by their Empress, that was entrusted into their care who was now risking it all to save their captain.

Ren, who had seen the full extent of Jaune's descent before, simply shut his eyes.

" _Pyrrha…won't make it."_ Ren realized, if he was correct then it was the past Pyrrha's 'voice' he was hearing now. What the red-haired knight didn't know, was that there was another voice that haunted Jaune that left a far deeper wound during a much more volatile time of his life. _"I have to stop this."_ Ren thought and it was then that Ren froze, remembering the note Pyrrha handed him earlier. Reaching into his pocket, Ren opened it and only found three words.

 _[Believe in_ _ **me**_ _]_

Ren's hand tremebled a bit before he quickly pocketed the note once more.

"Ren?" Nora asked with a concerned frown.

"Nothing. It's nothing." Ren lied before focusing his attention back on the screen. _"Very well then, show me what you got knight."_

 **-With Jaune & Pyrrha-**

 **BGM: Believe- Hollywood Undead**

"Get back!" Jaune roared, fed up with Pyrrha's onslaught. His aura flared as he released a battle cry, a loud ringing echoing through out the battlefield as his aura slammed into Pyrrha and sent her flying back. Recovering, Pyrrha landed in a crouch, summoning both javelins to her hands before releasing two shots from them, the recoil sending her flying back towards Jaune who gripped his sword with both hands, his aura shining brighter and brighter.

 _ **["Pyrrha…"]**_ A voice rung out through her ears as she raised her weapons just in time to parry a powerful downward slash from Jaune. The strength of his blow made her legs buckle, the ground around them shattering as a shock wave erupted around them and tore the ground asunder. Their weapons struggled for dominance as Jaune tried to crush her beneath his strike.

" _I can't…give…in…"_ Pyrrha thought, her anger at her own weakness growing as she continued to try to hold back Jaune's attack. Her aura shone brighter and brighter, cracks appearing around it as she shouted, her muscles tightening as she felt as though she were trying to push against a mountain.

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Chiron why are we here? I have to leave for Beacon in a few hours." Pyrrha said with a frown as they stood on a hill, one that over looked the higher levels of Mistral. The horse-faunus just chuckled, his body a mere silhouette as the rising sun shone against him, causing Pyrrha to be covered in his shadow._

" _I heard you wanted to reinvent yourself, so I wanted you to see something." Chiron responded making Pyrrha look at her mentor skeptically._

" _A cliff?"_

" _How far you've come." Chiron corrected making Pyrrha's eyes widen. "This is the highest point in Mistral, you know? Scum from the lower levels like us only dreamed of ever being here, now look at us?"_

" _I…wow…" Pyrrha trailed off stepping along side her mentor and looking over the kingdom, the lower levels looking like a black pit from their position. Look around, her eyes shone with an almost child-like wonder. "Beautiful."_

" _Indeed."_

" _What does this have to do with me reinventing myself?"_

" _Tell me, we're at the highest point, right? You climbed up here through years of bloodshed and determination. Nowhere in the kingdom has a better view…but I ask you…is this it? Is this your limit?" Chiron questioned rhetorically before gesturing towards the sky. "Or can you go higher?"_

" _I…don't see how? This is the highest point, right?" Pyrrha questioned with a frown making Chiron chuckle before he suddenly grabbed her around her waist, making her yelp before he picked her up suddenly and held her higher. "You were saying?" Chiron questioned after Pyrrha stopped struggling when she realized he wasn't going to throw her off the cliff…_

 _...again…_

" _You're going to meet people stronger than me, who you will care for more than me, that will lift you higher than I can, girl. You will give everything you have, everything you are for these people and in return they will love you regardless of your attitude. You don't need to change who you are for anyone do you know why?"_

"…"

" _Because the thing that will attract the important people? Those who actually matter? You already have, deep in your heart. I don't care how you view yourself, you need to understand that there is at least one good thing within you. The thing that made me chose you in the first place." Chiron said before placing her on her feet. "That said, you're a teenager so you'll probably ignore me and have to find out the hard way. Just know that I'll be ready to tell you I told you so when you see I'm right again." Chiron said arrogantly, patting her on her shoulder before he left her on the cliff. "This is as far as I can take you."_

" _I…" Pyrrha trailed off, tears falling from her eyes for the first time in years as she turned towards her mentor. She raised a hand towards his retreating back but before she could say anything, he raised his fist high into the air, extending his index finger as he pointed right towards the sky._

" _Straight to the top, keep moving forward, and never forget that you're number one." Chiron said with a chuckle as he left his pupil behind, content that she was ready to take on the world. Falling to her knees, Pyrrha held herself tightly as her body shook with sobs. Not of sadness._

 _But of gratitude._

 _She would never be able to repay the man._

 _But what she could do is move forward and show him that he was right about her._

 _ ***Flash***_

"Huh?" Jaune wondered, surprise covering his face when he felt his blade being pushed back as Pyrrha rose up, her feet digging into the ground. Pyrrha eyes turned silver, glimmering beautifully even as the cracks on her aura spread.

"Experience, intelligence, physical strength, absurd aura, you have all of that but doesn't matter!" Pyrrha shouted, as their auras clashed against each other and soon her red and his white began to merge into a bright pink that began to engulf both of them. "You're weak within!" Pyrrha declared startling him as she glared into his eyes before they were before blinded by a bright pink light.

 **-?-**

" _You." Pyrrha shouted angrily, her body forged out of a crimson light as she stood in the burning graveyard that had become Jaune's mindscape. Startled, her counter-part turned to face her, flames surrounding her body as Pyrrha charged her. "Get away from him!" Pyrrha ordered as her counterpart forged a javelin from the flames and parried her attack._

" _Never." Her counter-part said darkly, making Pyrrha's fury increase. "He's mine and no one will change that! Not even you."_

" _You're nothing but a burden. Pathetic." Pyrrha said with a scoff, disgusted by the person wearing her face. Enraged, her counter-part pulled back to stab her through her chest, an opening Pyrrha knew all too well._

" _What!?" Pyrrha's counter-part exclaimed as Pyrrha ducked under the attack and slipped behind her. Twirling her javelin in her hand, Pyrrha stabbed back and rammed it through her counter-part's Achilles tendon, sending her crashing to the ground. Pulling it back, Pyrrha turned around, spinning her javelin over her head before grabbing it with both of her hands and spearing her counter-part through her back, her javelin exiting the burning woman's chest before Pyrrha viciously twisted it for good measure._

 _ **BGM: END**_

" _I…I…" the burning woman gasped out with a pained expression that didn't come from her wound. "…I just wanted to help him."_

" _Then you should have lived." Pyrrha said bluntly as tears fell from the burning woman's eyes, releasing steam as they slid down her cheeks._

" _I loved him."_

" _Should have told him." Pyrrha said again, just as bluntly before ripping her weapon free, making her counter-part's image shatter like glass._

 **BGM: Mirror Mirror part 2-RWBY OST**

 _Scoffing, she turned to face Jaune whom was still being burned at the stake. "Jaune…" Pyrrha whispered a cold fog escaping her mouth that made her pause as she felt the temperature around her plummet despite the flames._

 _Speaking of the flames, she noted that they had begun to die as the ground began to frost over as snow fell from the sky._

" _Snow?" Pyrrha wondering in confusion before shaking her head as she looked back towards Jaune. The flames around him had vanished leaving him badly burned. However, before she could make a step towards him, a thin blade ripped out through her chest. Pyrrha's eyes widened, her body trembling in agony as she looked down at the blade exiting her chest in confusion._

" _There's a word for this, I believe it is called karma? Irony? Perhaps payback? Who knows, I'm just an echo of the past regardless." A cold voice mused as Pyrrha fell to her knees, blade still inside her as an all too familiar white-haired woman strolled past her, leaving her blade._

" _W-Weiss…" Pyrrha grunted out as a slightly older version of the huntress she knew made her way to the bound Jaune._

" _I must thank you. She always did annoy me going after what was never her's." Weiss mused as she gently grasped the side of Jaune's face, his wounds healing immediately. "Wake up you dunce." Weiss ordered softly, Jaune's binds snapping as his body aged a couple of years. Tiredly, Jaune opened his eyes and Pyrrha saw that that the naivety was gone._

" _What happened?"_

" _What do you think?" Weiss questioned with a scoff, making him grimace a bit as he realized he had lost control of his sanity. "Your partner is on death's door because of you. Although I suppose that it's her fault for not getting the whole story."_

" _You are plaguing him…" Pyrrha said weakly, getting their attention as Jaune's expression softened. "…driving him mad, holding him back. I need to break his aura. Jaune, I'm trying to help you!"_

" _Do you honestly think he doesn't know that? He may be an idiot at times but give him credit. He's known the cause of his 'madness' for years." Weiss said, making Pyrrha's look at her in confusion. "Hell, I've been telling him its time to let us go but here's the thing, Pyrrha. You can't help someone who doesn't want to be helped."_

" _W-what?"_

" _These…echoes…they help me cope. They keep me driven." Jaune said quietly before placing a hand on Weiss' abdomen. Pyrrha felt a lump in her throat, an unsettling realization that Jaune might have lost more than the others knew. "They remind we of what I lost, so that I will never lose them again."_

" _This…this isn't right Jaune! How can you help build a better future if you can only see the past!?" Pyrrha asked angrily. "They're killing you Jaune! You're an amp, your aura is different! Your aura can enter another with no drawbacks but you can't handle foreign aura for too long before your body begins to reject it! First, it's your mind then your body, you will die!"_

" _Again. What makes you think he doesn't know that?" Weiss questioned coldly. Even as tears slid down her cheeks, her expression did not waver. "His body will move forward until it can't anymore, and when that time comes the knights will have someone better, someone stronger, to lead them."_

" _You can't think that!"_

" _My thoughts are irrelevant, I'm just an echo." Weiss said before placing a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "It's what he believes."_

" _Pyrrha, you were always supposed to be the leader, we both know that." Jaune said firmly. "You believe in destiny, right? Well, your destiny was stolen from you the moment Ozpin tried to use me as one of his pawns. You could have been great if it weren't me…and now…you will have that chance." Jaune said with a sad smile that made Pyrrha heat break._

" _Jaune this isn't the answer…you…" Pyrrha trailed off when she saw her body begin to crack. Gritting her teeth she glared at Weiss. "Echo or not, if you ever loved him you'd stop him." Pyrrha said darkly, making Weiss purse her lips before the Spartan's image shattered._

 **-Auditorium-**

 **BGM: END**

The explosion that had resulted from the last exchange could be heard even in the class room. Everyone watched with baited breaths as they waited for the dust to settle. When the dust cleared they saw a downed Pyrrha, her aura zero while Jaune's was still half full. Blood pulled from beneath Pyrrha's face that was planted in the ground, obscured from view, her armor in tatters.

Jaune, however, stood tall as if he hadn't been harmed in the slightest. His greatsword was stabbed into the ground before him as he gripped its hilt tightly with both hands, a stoic expression on his face.

"My word! We must get her medical attention quickly!" Dr. Oobleck said as the faculty quickly stood up. The students were in hysteria, both awed by the fight and deeply worried about Pyrrha's health as the councilor wiped his brow.

"Incredible, such power in just children! What are you teaching them? That was spectacular!" The councilor said as Glynda appeared to grow progressively more irritated by the pandemonium around her.

"Silence!" Glynda snapped, her aura flaring as she used her semblance to force everyone back into their seats as her eyes shone with power. "The fight isn't over!"

"Glynda, Ms. Nikos is on death's door!" Ozpin said, startling the students who had not once seen the man lose his composure. It was frightening, seeing the most powerful man in the building so enraged. "You can't honestly say the fight is continuing with her in that state!"

"Even I must agree, surely the girl could use some help?" The councilor said with a concerned frown.

"In battle, criminals and Grimm won't stop when your aura is gone. Do you all think they abide by some sort of honor code?" Glynda questioned angrily before glaring at the students. "This is what I want you to see, you are all no longer children. You are men and women who will lay your lives down to protect and serve!"

It was time for them to have a wakeup call.

"I care for each and every one of you which is why I want you to be able to learn how to fight until your last breaths. Look around you, at your partners, your team, your classmates. In ten years, over half of you will be six feet under." Glynda said coldly.

"That's enough, Glynda!"

"Why are you coddling them!?" Glynda questioned angrily as everyone, hell even Nora and Ren, looked unnerved by the intensity between Ozpin and Glynda. "Or do you like let young adults risk their lives without a full understanding of the situation?" Glynda questioned pointedly, making Ozpin visibly recoil at the accusation.

That cut deep.

They both knew it.

"Many of you have already lost family to this life, but you need to understand the numbers. This job has the highest mortality rate of them all, even more so than soldiers. If things stay the way they are, with you all being treated like students instead of the warriors you truly are more of you will die. I have attended every funeral for a student that attended this academy and I'm _tired_ of seeing you all die." Glynda said passionately.

This was no ruse.

No underhanded scheme.

This was the truth.

And the weight of it humbled them all, even Ozpin who had no idea that she attended _every_ funeral.

With the possible exception of Arc, Glynda had no favorites, everyone knew this from faculty to students. However, that didn't mean she treated them all with indifference. No, they began to realize, it just meant she _loved_ them all equally.

"Its time you saw the truth of my ranking system." Glynda said as the first-year rankings appeared on the screen, embarrassing a few of them as they saw their status being displayed to the entire school. Pressing a button, they watched n confusion as ranks 9-12 were pushed down and replaced by team CFVY. "I've ranked all four years. With the exception of team CFVY, the first years are the most capable huntsmen we have to offer."

"Holy shit." Yang muttered, still rank five. Only now that number had much more weight. Ruby herself was too stunned to even reprimand Yang on her language. Even Blake, who was still a bit sore after getting bested by Ruby felt that wound close when she realized that her number wasn't so bad.

Team RWBY knew they were good, but not that good.

"…I take back everything I've said about all of your efforts." Weiss told her team, a blank expression on her face. "Keep it up." It was one thing to write to her sister that she was top in her year, but top in her school bore an entirely different weight.

The third and fourth years looked more than little affronted at this revelation, never before feeling as much like canon fodder as they did at that moment.

"Due to the pressures of the faculty and its…administration…" Glynda said, glancing at Ozpin. "I limited my new teaching methods to the first-years. While years two through four received exams, and spars, the first-years were worked into the ground every lesson and this is the result."

A few second years looked relieved but the third and fourth years whom hadn't had an idea of what was going on and requesting extra lessons, felt betrayed. A few of them even glared at the teachers, Glynda included for not telling her co-workers to fuck off and help them.

"Tell me councilor, what should I do now that you have these facts. Go to Ms. Nikos' aid or give her a chance to fight?"

"I…" The councilor trailed off when he saw something on the screen. Glynda smirked at his stunned expression, knowingly exactly what he was seeing. "Let them fight."

"What?" Ozpin questioned, stunned as Professor Port gasped.

"She's getting up!" Professor Port exclaimed making Ozpin look back at the screen, to see Pyrrha struggling to prop herself up, her hands and knees trembling. A few students exclaimed, paled, and hell even cried when they noticed that Pyrrha had lost more than her aura in the last exchange. They watched as Pyrrha gritted her teeth, a scar where her left eye used to be.

"W…why are they fighting like this?" Weiss asked weakly, tracing her own scar absentmindedly.

"Because they _have_ to." Ruby whispered ominously as she looked at the screen, her heart pounding her chest as she watched Pyrrha struggle not to cry.

"What?"

"Something's changed." Ruby said as she got her friends' attention. "This fight has just started."

 **-With Jaune & Pyrrha-**

 **BGM: Stand up-Yashin**

Coughing up blood, Pyrrha's body shook in pain as her circlet slid off of her head and bounced on the ground before her as her hairband snapped, wavy crimson hair now hanging freely.

 _ **["Get up!"]**_

"I can't…" Pyrrha said sadly, her arms trembling as she stared at the circlet, hearing her mentor's voice.

 _ **["Then why are you moving?"]**_

Pyrrha's eye glistened as she noted that her body continued to try to rise.

 _ **["The only time you are allowed to taste defeat is in death."]**_

Pyrrha's body rose until she was kneeling on both of her knees, her back to Jaune as she looked up at the sky.

 _ **["Are you dead?"]**_

"No."

 _ **["Can you stand?"]**_

"Yes."

 _ **["Then you can fight."]**_

Looking down at her self she grimaced when she saw that her armor was tattered, barely hanging on. Gripping her top, Pyrrha ripped it off and discarded it to the side. Reaching to her waist, she pulled off her sash and used it to wrap her chest, tying a tight knot on her back.

 _ **["I don't care how much you hurt, you ain't a little girl anymore. You want to cry? Cry after you win."]**_

Forcing back her tears, Pyrrha grabbed her trusty javelin and stabbed it into the ground, using it to force herself up. Standing firmly on her feet, Pyrrha release a loud yell, screaming to the heavens themselves, boosting her own morale as Jaune trembled a bit at the sight as if hit by a crushing weight.

It wasn't her aura

It wasn't any power whatsoever.

It was just the mere sight of her fighting spirit that rocked Jaune to his core.

"Pyrrha! We can't keep fighting like this, I've already hurt you too much." Jaune said, his clarity back enough for him to understand his actions. It was a horrible feeling, the most damage he had seen on the seemingly invincible woman caused by his own hand. "The fight's over! You need to let me heal you!"

"I'll die a thousand deaths before I let that poisonous aura touch me!" Pyrrha snapped viciously, turning to face him with a fire in her eyes as she gripped her weapon tightly before charging Jaune making him curse as he realized she was still intent on breaking his aura. "I don't give a damn if you want help or not, for your own good I'm breaking it!"

"Pyrrha, stop, don't make me fight you like this I don't want to hurt you!" Jaune pleaded, lifting his greatsword with both hands as he knew he'd have to defend himself. "This is madness! You've reached your limit!"

"Madness?" Pyrrha repeated darkly and Jaune was forced to raise his large blade to block a double drop kick from Pyrrha whom slammed both feet into the side of the blade with enough force to send him sliding back. "This isn't even close to my limit!" Pyrrha shouted, her lungs feeling like they were on fire as she could feel every movement of her muscles and bones which were screaming in protest.

"Why are you doing this? Didn't you want to be beaten? Accept defeat and stop being a sore loser!" Jaune snapped forced to fight defensively as Pyrrha continued to attack him.

"I did, but oddly enough I suddenly don't feel like losing." Pyrrha said before slipping past his guard. Now behind him, Pyrrha jumped back, slamming her back against his. Back to back, the two spun around and attacked each other only for them both to avoid the other's blows. This sent them stumbling past each other before they quickly turned around and slammed their weapons together. "Not that this is even remotely close to being about winning or losing anymore." Pyrrha said as she used both hands to support her javelin against Jaune's blade.

"I don't want your help, Pyrrha!"

"I don't give a damn about what you want, it's what you need that I'm focused on." Pyrrha said firmly. "Ruby needs her captain and it's going to be you even if I have to drag your ass all the way back to the position! I'm just an extra but she needs you!"

"An extra!? She _died_ for you!" Jaune shouted sounding just as angry as Pyrrha now. Pyrrha's weapon began to bend as Crocea Mors threatened to cleave it in two. Pyrrha's eyes widened when her weapon finally snapped, sending the massive blade racing towards her. Time seemed to move in slow motion as a horrified Jaune try to slow its decent when he saw the look of fear on Pyrrha's face.

Fear that soon vanished when she smirked and used this moment of weakness to slip past him and rush to the opposite side of the battlefield to where her dust pouch had gotten blown off to. Stabbing Crocea Mors into the ground, Jaune ripped it up, sending a large arc of white aura directly towards Pyrrha who dove towards her pouch and rolled away just in time to avoid the attack.

 **BGM: END**

She used his honor against him.

"Really?" Jaune questioned, sounding a bit annoyed as he stabbed his blade into the ground as Pyrrha rose tiredly, blood spilling from her lips while she smirked at him.

"All is fair in love and war."

"Which is this? Love or war?

"Probably both." Pyrrha said, dropping her pouch after pulling out two large black dust crystals. Looking up at the sky, she noted how dark the sky had become. Throughout the battle she had been so focused, she hadn't even noticed the storm approaching. As if waiting for her to finally notice, the first drop fell, landing on her forehead before sliding down her face.

Then another drop fell.

Then another.

Then another.

Soon, Pyrrha closed her eye as the expected downpour finally let loose, showering her and Jaune with rain. The wounded huntress took a moment, letting the rain wash away her blood and with it her reservations as she gathered the resolve to do what she planned next. Jaune stood silently and let her be.

Not because of comradery.

Not because of some unspoken code of honor.

None of that was present in his head at that moment.

He was just captivated by the tragically beautiful picture before him. He took in every wound he could see on her, knowing that he caused them all.

"In the times of old." Pyrrha began, opening her eye. "Mankind born from dust, used its powers directly. The effects were more powerful than anything we see today, but it lacked control and threatened to consume everything. Overtime, through technology, we've gained much needed control at the expense of its power. Mankind has grown weak, too weak, to use dust like the warriors of old and survive."

Jaune was confused as to why he was hearing this history lesson. He knew it well, dust was powerful but even when refined it was unpredictable. Its why he personally preferred to just use his aura in combat though he was still liable to use dust whenever the situation presented itself.

"That's what I thought at least." Pyrrha continued, interrupting his thoughts as she faced him fully, her grip on the crystals tightening. "But then the battle on the docks happened, imagine my surprise when I saw some no name using dust like the warriors of old. A thought occurred then at that very moment." Pyrrha said, her eye gleaming with ill-intent as she stared Jaune down before a vicious grin split her face. "If that nobody could do it, then surely I could too?" Pyrrha said making Jaune pale instant as Pyrrha's pride and arrogance returned with full-force.

"Pyrrha, stop! Don't do it! Hazel can't feel pain, you _can._ Even if your spirit won't go, your heart will, your body will!" Jaune snapped, a look of genuine anger on his face. "Stand down! You will not kill yourself, Nikos!"

"Take a moment, let that feeling sink it, now imagine yourself in my shoes and understand why I can't do that, _captain."_ Pyrrha said making Jaune freeze. "I won't let you die at any cost. A life for a life."

It was then Pyrrha released a bitter laugh.

"You don't fucking get it do you?" Pyrrha asked rhetorically. "I didn't either, but now I see. I see it clearly. This…this is destiny. You and I are a story that only ends in tragedy no matter the time-line."

"Pyrrha…" Jaune said faintly, visibly recoiling at her statement as she raised the crystals.

No matter the time-line, no matter the personality, Pyrrha was a _believer._ Her spirituality transcended any of their friends' which was something one wouldn't know unless they knew Pyrrha deeply.

Jaune did.

He knew that Pyrrha's beliefs surrounding fate and the soul were core to her being.

"It's the only explanation for this situation right now. I am destined to sacrifice it all for you. You who is eternally blind to his own worth. You who just can't understand that we are _tied_ to each other." Pyrrha said, glaring darkly as her hand trembled. "I'll shatter you, even if I lose myself in the process."

"That's insanity! How is that any different than what I–" Jaune paused then, the weight of his own words sinking in. A sick churning in his stomach made Jaune grimace as he and Pyrrha were the same. This had long stopped being a spar or even a fight to the end.

This had become a war.

A clash of ideals.

This was what happened when an unstoppable force and an unmovable object finally met.

Both he and Pyrrha viewed the other as more valuable than the other and in her own morbid way she was right.

If one died the other would continue.

Once again, he and Pyrrha were the same.

If she died like this trying to break his aura, if only because of the guilt, he would press on for the both of them and make it as far as he could. He had done it once and he'd be forced to do it again and she knew it.

However, now Jaune knew that the inverse was true as well. If he fell, Pyrrha would take the spot in history that was _meant_ for her.

Jaune was tired.

So…

…tired…

"That look in your eyes, you finally get it." Pyrrha said and Jaune couldn't tell if it was rain or tears falling from her cheeks. There was a clear alternative here, they could both call it quits. Just put everything down and end this fight.

But they couldn't.

Jaune wanted his aura to remain in tact and Pyrrha still wanted a true battle.

It was both selfishness and selflessness that kept them there, together, and it would be both selfishness and selflessness that would split them.

Just like last time.

"This is sick." Jaune said, disgusted by both their actions and their inability to do the clear thing.

"This is fate." Pyrrha countered, believing that it was destiny that both led them to this moment and kept them there. In that one disagreement, those six words, everything that made them similar and different could be found.

 **BGM: Shatter Me- Lindsey Sterling Feat. Lzzy Hale**

Jaune called out Pyrrha's name desperately to no avail when he saw the crystals rushing back towards her but he knew it was pointless, a formality really as Pyrrha lodged the crystals into her shoulders. For a moment nothing happened until Pyrrha coughed up blood. Jaune almost counted his blessings before Pyrrha looked up at him with a grin.

"AHHH!" Pyrrha screamed, her blood feeling like lava as a black pulse of energy ripped from her body, tearing the ground asunder as Jaune made his aura shine brighter and stood through it. A beacon of light shining though a sea of darkness. Pyrrha screamed in agony as her muscles tensed and grew. Though nowhere near the size of Hazels, they had certainly become much more tone giving her a build on par with Nora's. Her abs seemed to harden, her hair floating up as she screamed while a black energy surrounded her like a black aura.

"Damn it." Jaune muttered, looking around seeing cracks appear on the cliffs and ruins in the distance as the ground trembled while Pyrrha screamed.

"Come at me!" Pyrrha roared extending her hand and making her javelin fly towards her. Gripping it tightly, Pyrrha raised it at Jaune as she gritted her teeth through the agony, black sparks dancing around her. Now she knew why Hazel was fortunate to have his semblance, he was spared the pain of feeling as though his bones were breaking and muscles were ripping. The pain that almost blinded Pyrrha from the intoxicating new level of power she felt.

Keyword being almost.

Crouching for a second, Pyrrha shot forward, the ground on which she previously stood shattered as she _flew_ towards Jaune whom narrowed his eyes. Raising his blade, he swung it at her only for her to parry it with her black tinted javelin making the ground tremble. Their weapons trembled as Pyrrha remained floating in air before Jaune.

"Magnetic dust?" Jaune asked, making Pyrrha giving him a sadistic smile. One that grew as a black energy _covered_ his aura.

"Not quite." Pyrrha answered, making Jaune pale.

"Gravity." Jaune realized, his entire body feeling heavier as his sword was pushed back.

"I've finally _reached_ you." Pyrrha said before flipping backwards in mid-air. At that moment the very ground beneath Jaune's feet ripped up, lifting him into the air before sending him flying high into the air as their surroundings simply broke apart and flew up with him.

" _Shit."_ Jaune thought now above the clouds after Pyrrha launched him up along with the ruins. Still, he noted, he managed to keep his blade. _"She sacrificed control for power. Though similar to her semblance, she's not used to controlling more than just metal."_ Jaune thought before his aura shone brighter, him burning through more than he would have preferred to get control over his body back. Free falling, Jaune fell back down hopping from boulder to boulder and cutting through any debris that tried to slam into him as he tried to make his way back to Pyrrha.

"More…give me more!" Pyrrha demanded of both Jaune and herself as the debris began spinning around her, creating a vortex of destruction. Flipping on top of one stone pillar, Jaune lowered his body, his greatsword held behind him as he glared at Pyrrha. His body exploding with light, the pillar was decimated when shot forward off of it, descending upon Pyrrha in a flash of white light at speeds he hadn't had to use in a long time.

"Lan–" Jaune stopped, both physically and in his words as his body froze in mid-air before Pyrrha, mere inches away from her. _"What!?"_

"Checkmate." Pyrrha said as she raised her javelin high. "I've learned a lot from you, most importantly making my opponent think what I want them to." Pyrrha revealed, making Jaune pale as he realized he had been played. She hadn't used all of her newfound strength to hold onto him and with the false sense of security; he delivered himself before her as she prepared her true onslaught.

"N-no…" Jaune grit out as he found his body floating upright, his grip on his blade weakening before Crocea Mors flew into her free hand. Blood spilled from her nose, a vein pulsing on her temple as she stared at him in concentration while his arm began to systematically removed itself from his body which had begun to slowly ascend higher and higher.

"I'll say this one more time." Pyrrha began ominously as she aimed her javelin at him, gripping it until her hand bled. "Shatter!" Pyrrha shouted as she threw the almost completely black javelin and Crocea Mors at his bare chest with enough force to create a small sonic boom the moment she released them. Slamming into his chest, Jaune's aura shone brightly to fend it off as the force of the throw sent Jaune flying higher into the air. To his horror, the spear had its own gravitational pull that not only pulled his body harder against its tip, but also attracted the surrounding debris towards him, quickly cocooning him in debris.

"P-Pyrrha…." Jaune grunted out, cracks appearing on the surface of his aura, his vision darkening as the debris blocked off all light and trapped him in darkness.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Bloodstream-Stateless**

"Break!" Pyrrha screamed, a desperate yell ripping from her throat as a pulse of power ripped from her body. Black sparks dances around her body, originating from the two dust crystals lodged in her arms. Black veins spread across her body as her muscles and joints snapped and popped.

Hell.

Her body felt like hell as she drew in the last of the dusts power, using its power to make up for her missing aura. Pyrrha screamed in agony, her green eye now a bright silver as the large ball of debris crack and condenses, smoothing its edges as the vein on her temples pulsed violently.

Tossing her head back, the dust crystal shattered as Pyrrha released a shout that seemed to shake the very heavens themselves. Wounds began to open across her body which literally began tearing itself apart as she aimed her hands at the now perfect sphere of earth and stone that floated in the air. As cracks appeared across its surface, smaller cracks seemed to form over her silver iris.

 **-Pyrrha's Mindscape-**

 _Pyrrha roared in anger as she beat her hands against a glass wall that stopped her from going further. Her hands bled as she beat against it, desperate to shatter her limits even further. One by one, her loved ones appeared in her head with each punch._

 _She knew better._

 _She knew that she wasn't the symbol that Empress wanted her to be._

 _She couldn't save them._

 _She was too weak._

 _Jaune, however, wasn't, but he just couldn't see that._

 _He was blind to what she saw, numb to what she felt. He was a part of her and she a part of him. Their connection ran deep, deeper than any suspected. She had to make him see reason, had to make him understand. Even if she destroyed herself in the process._

 _A crack formed against the glass._

 _She would save him._

 _Another crack._

 **-Outside-**

A crack echoed inside Pyrrha's ears and she wasn't sure if it came from the debris, her body, her mind, or her spirit. The sphere encasing Jaune condensed even further, shrinking in size before it simply exploded, erupting loudly and sending debris raining down across the battlefield after no longer being able to withstand the force being pushed into it.

Numbly, Pyrrha fell to her knees, her cracked iris shone brightly before shattering into small partials of light-the last of the Empress' light leaving her body which was no longer strong enough to contain it. Her heart pulsed loudly, a single heart beat deafening her.

No more followed.

Lifelessly, Pyrrha's body fell back.

 **-Auditorium-**

Pandemonium erupted, the horrified silence disappearing when they saw Pyrrha fall. Her Aura was still empty while Jaune's had fell into the red. Nora, struck silent, shakily covered her mouth with her hands as Ren shook his head, a look of morbid fascination on his face.

He was confused.

He had seen Jaune reach this point before, the way he held his weapon made it apparent that he was hearing Weiss' voice at the time. However, if that was the case, Pyrrha should have been stopped long before she could reach this point.

Instead, it was as if part of Jaune had held back, something keeping him at bay as if wanting to give Pyrrha a chance to take him down.

"Pyrrha!" Ren could hear Ruby scream and turning towards her he could see her horrified expression suddenly school itself, her silver eyes flickering for the _briefest_ of moments. He was startled but grit his teeth as he noted that she still appeared to be fine, at least physically. That meant he had to prioritize Jaune and Pyrrha.

This fight was over for both of them.

With Weiss' voice failing him and Pyrrha's body failing her, Jaune had reached the end of his madness and Pyrrha couldn't no longer give in to her battle lust.

 **-Jaune's Mindscape-**

" _It hurts!" Jaune shouted, falling to a knee as he stabbed his blade into the ground to brace himself. His body trembling in pain as Weiss stood behind, her head bowed as her bangs shadowed her eyes. "Weiss, please, help me!" Jaune pleaded, needing her support to keep him focused less he lose the little happiness he had left._

 _ **["Echo or not if you ever loved him you'd stop him."]**_

 _A tear slid down Weiss' cheek as she gripped Myrtenaster tightly and strolled towards him, her cold expression never wavering. With each step she took, Jaune's mindscape cracked more and more along with his aura._

" _Ofcourse Jaune, I'll help you." Weiss said as she, unbeknownst to the knight, prepared to strike him down. Her voice alone made his shoulders sag in relief._

" _Thank you." Jaune said gratefully, glad he hadn't lost her yet. The echo's hand trembled as a tired smile graced Jaune's face. "I love you."_

" _And I, you." Weiss said simply, her expression cracking as she brought the blade down. A loud crunching noise could be heard before Jaune felt something warm splash against his back before the sound of Myrtenaster bouncing against the ground could be heard. "W-what?" Weiss asked in confusion, looking down to see a hand erupting from her chest._

" _W-Weiss? Weiss!" Jaune shouted as he turned around just as the hand ripped itself free. He caught her body just before it could hit the ground and looked up to find something he hadn't expected._

" _N-no…" Weiss said weakly as she saw someone that filled her with dread. "…Jaune…you have to stop, you have to get back to your senses."_

" _Oh Weiss…" An all too familiar voice said sadly as the Empress gazed down upon her former partner. "We both know that's not possible." The Empress said as she gently grasped both sides of Jaune's face gently. A look of adoration crossed his features as he gazed her, his grasp on Weiss going lax before she dropped her, no longer even registering her appearance. "I run too deep. In his mind, his soul, his very blood."_

" _Please, don't do this." Weiss pleaded with the Empress as she saw Jaune become blinded by her light. "We're killing him Ruby."_

" _Indeed, we are. That, however, is what he wishes for is it not?" The Empress mused, making Weiss shudder. "Horrible side-effects or not, we are still part of semblance which means it's our duty to serve him. Whether he lives or dies is irrelevant. You've become defective it seems." The Empress said before leaning forward. "I'll take him off your hands, you just rest in peace." The Empress aid before claiming Jaune's lips for her own as Weiss sobbed, her body cracking more. Gritting her teeth, Weiss bit back her tears as she glared viciously at the Empress._

" _This will not end the way you expect." Weiss swore before her body went the way of Pyrrha's echo and untethered itself from Jaune's soul after her image shattered like glass. Remaining silent, the Empress said nothing as she snapped her fingers, a silver light engulfing both herself and Jaune._

 _-?-_

 _ **BGM: END**_

" _So, this is the link forged between their souls." The Empress muttered as she found herself holding Jaune in the middle of what appeared to be a large ancient colosseum. "Beautiful." The Empress murmured before releasing Jaune when she saw the prone form of Pyrrha lying on her back. "Tragic, so this is what happened to you last time. Your soul trapped here by your bond." The Empress realized as she strolled towards the downed Pyrrha._

 _Truly the sight was saddening._

 _Anchored to the man she loved, doomed to watch his trials and tribulations without being able to help._

 _No one deserved such a hell._

 _Especially not Pyrrha._

" _I shall set you free." The Empress said quietly, summoning her scythe into her hand in a flash of silver light before raising it high, prepared to set Pyrrha's soul free. However, the scythe failed to connect as it found itself parried by…_

… _itself._

" _Oh?" The Empress asked curiously as she found Ruby down on her knees, forced down by the might of the Empress' swing as she used both hands to keep the scythe at bay. "I'll admit, I'm surprised. How did you get here, little one?"_

" _I…don't know…" Ruby grit out, her arms trembling, and she was telling the truth. One second, she was screaming Pyrrha's name and the next she had found herself here. She had been lost, wandering throughout the realm when she came across the horrible sight of the Empress preparing to end Pyrrha. "What are you doing!?" Ruby demanded to know, silver tears sliding down her cheeks._

" _Setting her free. If I don't she will be trapped here until Jaune dies." The Empress answered. "She does not deserve such a fate. I shall set her free."_

" _Free? You know Pyrrha, do you think she'll go that easily when she hasn't saved Jaune yet!?" Ruby asked angrily, her eyes shining brightly. "Until she saves him from you, she will not stop!"_

" _And why do you assume it's me she has to save him from?"_

" _Because all you do is hurt people! You use them! You torture them! You're like a disease!" Ruby snapped, actually startling the Empress. "You're toxic…can't you see that?" Ruby asked quietly, making the Empress bow her head, her eyes shadowed as she tightened her grip on her scythe._

" _You know not what I've experienced, little one."_

" _I don't!" Ruby agreed wholeheartedly, tears streaming down her face and splashing on to Pyrrha's body. "I can only imagine the horrors you faced if it turned me into you. Your world was one where hope was dead, but that's just it! This is not your world! Hope still lives here! Why_ _ **can't you see what I see?"**_

" _Tch." The Empress grimaced as she was forced to avert her eyes from a bright light that shone from Ruby's eyes briefly. Gritting her teeth as she felt Ruby's light attempt to invade her being, she forced it back easily with her own power. "Don't you dare touch me with that light!" The Empress bit out, confusing Ruby who had no idea what had triggered the small release of her power. Ruby stepped back slightly when the Empress stepped forward and raised her hand to slap Ruby. "What?" The Empress muttered when her hand collided not with Ruby, but with Pyrrha who had forced herself to her feet._

" _Pyrrha?" Ruby asked in confusion, looking up at the spartan whose head was knocked to the side by the force of the Empress' blow, though her body stood firmly in front of Ruby._

" _You should be dead." The Empress muttered, pulling her hand back as her eyes narrowed._

" _Well I'm not."_

" _Yet." The Empress mused. "You have moments at best until your spirit leaves your body. Your soul may be unbreakable, but your body isn't." The Empress said before shaking her head. "Why can you never just rest in peace? You tried and failed. Only one of you is needed correct? Well, Jaune is standing, even if just barely."_

" _Only one of you– how can you even say that!?" Ruby snapped angrily, her face flushing as her eyes shone brighter. "What the hell is wrong with you!? There is no way you're me!"_

" _She isn't. She's not even your counterpart." Pyrrha said tiredly as she glared at the Empress. "She's just an echo of your soul that's been twisted by Jaune's inner thoughts and insecurities. A coping mechanism, that's all." Pyrrha taunted making the Empress look at her coldly before the spartan sighed. "But…she's not wrong. I'm not sure how much you know, but you have an important destiny to fulfill and to do so you only need one of us, you've done it before."_

" _Yeah and look how that turned out!" Ruby said gesturing around them. Gritting her teeth, she grabbed Pyrrha's face gently, but firmly and forced the spartan to look at her. "Pyrrha, I need you both. You can't really think you're disposable!" Ruby said and what she saw broke her heart. There was just a cruel acceptance on Pyrrha's face which bore a broken expression that had no business being there._

" _Destiny has deemed it so."_

" _Then fuck destiny!" Ruby snapped, never feeling as angry as she did at that moment as she realized that she caused this. Some way, somehow, whether it be her or her counterpart, she caused this. Her exclamation made Pyrrha tense, her remaining eye widening in both confusion and surprise. "Look at me Pyrrha." Ruby ordered in a way that made the Empress frown a bit._

 _Ruby needed to break through to Pyrrha._

 _She just didn't know how._

 _Gritting her teeth, she tried to regain the feeling she had just moments earlier._

" _Look at me." Ruby repeated as Pyrrha did so. Silver mixed with green as Pyrrha stared into Ruby's eyes. As if by instinct, Ruby spoke._ _ **"Look at me and see what I do when I look at you."**_

" _Impossible…she's too young…" The Empress muttered, a look of morbid fascination on her face as she saw Ruby's eyes shine bright like glowing mirrors as a silver flame engulfed Pyrrha's body. "Her body already rejected my light!"_

 _ **BGM: Will Power- Persona 5 OST**_

" _Yes, but not mine." Ruby said coldly. She wasn't sure if she did something right or not but hearing the Empress' outrage let her know she was at least on the right path. "I am not you!" Ruby snapped as Pyrrha's body exploded in bright light that threatened to even blond the Empress. "I am not your beginning and you are not my end!"_

 _ **["Finally…you're ready for the next step."]**_ _The true Empress whispered inside of Ruby's mind._ _ **["Hold on to that feeling and drown in it. This isn't my power and it isn't ours, it's YOURS!"]**_

 _The light engulfing Ruby died down but Pyrrha's continued to shine brighter and brighter as the Spartan screamed from within the silver pillar of power._

 _ **["And Pyrrha…is your first knight."]**_

 _The light exploded and Pyrrha stood tall, however unlike the first time she ascended her appearance had changed drastically. She still wore golden armored grieves that sopped at her knees, but she wore them over a pair of form fitting leather pants. She wore a matching top that stopped just below her chest that was covered in gold armored plating as well that ran down the lengths of her arms. Her hair fell freely as a black eye-patch covered her missing eye. The eye patch bore a familiar crimson rose emblem. The one thing that was most noticeable, however, was that her circlet was gone._

 _Ruby truly saw Pyrrha as what she was._

 _Nothing more._

 _Nothing less._

 _She was an extremely gifted huntress and Ruby viewed her as what she had done and what she had accomplished, not what others expected of her. A single tear slid from Pyrrha's eye as she realized that fact._

 _ **["You've planted the first seed. Taken the next step. Now show me what garden you hope to create."]**_

 _The colosseum's stands suddenly split as a massive stair case appeared leading up to an elegant throne behind Ruby. Ruby's eyes widened when she saw a massive black flag appear behind the throne, it's center was a crimson rose emblem._

 _Black and Red, her colors._

" _Sit. I'll deal with this." Pyrrha said, glancing down at Ruby. There was so much Ruby wanted to say, but instead she settled for nodding her head._

" _Save him." Ruby ordered making Pyrrha chuckle as she grasped the side of Ruby's face gently, running her armored fingers through her black and red hair._

" _Of course, your majesty." Pyrrha said before strolling forward, her javelins appearing in her hands in silver flames as a silver light shone brightly from her eye. Ruby nodded and made her way to the throne as Pyrrha charged at the Empress._

" _Tch, Jaune!" The Empress ordered, jumping back before Crocea Mors parried Pyrrha's weapons. "Finish her."_

" _Yes, your majesty." Jaune swore, his knight captain armor covering his body as his body matured even more. The only thing on his face was a pure sense of duty. Behind him as second throne appeared as the original white and red flag of the Rose Empire appeared. The echo of Empress Rose and Ruby sat on their respective thrones, glaring at each other darkly before staring down at the arena where their champions continued to battle._

 **BGM: END**

 **-Auditorium**

"I'll go get them." Ren said as he stood up only to be stopped when Nora gripped his wrist tightly. "Nora?" Ren asked with a frown only for Nora to give him a sad smile as she weakly help up a small slip of paper that was very similar to the one Pyrrha handed him.

 _[In case Ren tries to interrupt]_

"Believe in her." Nora said quietly, opening the slip and showing a similar message to the one that was written in his message. Ren just looked at her as if she was insane. Which was a feat considering how long they dealt with each other.

"She might be dead–" Ren was cut off when he heard gasps coming from the class. Confused, he turned back to the monitor to see that not only had Pyrrha resumed breathing, she was trying to force herself up to her feet. Meanwhile, Jaune climbed out of the rubble wearing an expression Ren had only seen Jaune wear in the middle of war. Just like when he heard Weiss' voice he held his greatsword, however, this time he only used one hand.

"Where…where is she getting this strength from?" Weiss couldn't help but ask weakly as she saw the impossible and watched as Pyrrha's aura returned. Not completely, or even half way, it was still in the red like Jaune's but it had returned nonetheless.

Seeing Pyrrha and Jaune fight had been more than a little humbling for everyone watching. Weiss would have lost a long time ago against either of them. Hell, she was positive either of them might even be able to beat Winter. She shuddered when she remembered Pyrrha's claims that Weiss would one day surpass her.

Just what the hell would she have to go through to do that?

"How did she recover her aura like that!?" The councilor questioned in confusion, as far as he knew once it broke that was it.

"You're thinking with the mindset of this being a tournament match." Glynda answered him, her eyes never leaving the screen. "Once aura shatters, it begins to recover almost instantly. However, this recovery is stopped immediately if she is forced to keep defending herself."

"Which is why she used everything to keep Arc at bay." The councilor realized, making Glynda nod. "Ever since she lost her aura, she had been doing her best to recover it."

"A bold but incredibly risky plan." Dr. Oobleck said, his eyes unusually sharp behind his glasses as he watched the monitor.

"Why I'll be! I have never seen such a desperate strategy or someone skilled enough to pull it off since…well…you, Glynda." Professor Port said after a moment, turning to Glynda.

"I'll admit, I'm a bit torn. I started off rooting for the Arc boy for the sake of Vale if nothing else, but Ms. Nikos has won me over." The councilor admitted, not that it mattered, if Glynda had spoken the truth then either way Vale benefitted. "Always had a soft spot for the underdog. Never would I expect that to apply to Mistrals golden girl, however. Who do you think will win, Glynda?"

"Like I said it's not about winning or losing, at the end of this there will be mutual improvement. So, if someone were to win out of all of this, would it not be our people as a whole?" Glynda mused, making the councilor grin.

"That it would, that it would."

 **-With Jaune and Pyrrha-**

In the distance, one of the cocoons burst open, as a beautiful black and red butterfly burst free while Pyrrha stood up firmly on her feet. Her aura was still fragmented, pieces of it peeling off and floating away making it appear as if bright red ethereal rose petals were falling off her body.

A flash of light exploded from the debris as Jaune rose up, his tattered hoodie tearing off of his body as he gazed down from the mountain of rubble coldly as Pyrrha's javelin fell down to his feet. He stabbed his greatsword into the debris before him as a small wound on his chest healed. Like Pyrrha, his aura too was fragmented, pieces of his rigid aura cracking and breaking off of his body as if it was releasing white crystalline petals.

For a moment they said nothing as Pyrrha summoned her weapon back to her hand with her semblance. Then, as if acknowledging some unknown signal, Pyrrha charged forward as Jaune ripped his blade free from the rubble with his right hand.

 **BGM: Never Let Her Go-Project Vela**

 _ ***Flash***_

 _The sound of their weapons clashing echoed throughout the colosseum as the two glared in to each other's eyes, both silver though Pyrrha's was shining bright, almost white in color as Jaune's seemed to be a dull gray._

" _ **Lancaster: Anti-Personnel!"**_ _Jaune shouted making Pyrrha's eyes widen as Jaune's power suddenly increased exponentially as the ground beneath her feet shattered from Jaune's strength._

" _You can even amp yourself!?" Pyrrha exclaimed though a mad grin was plotting her face even as her arms trembled, it was as if her birthday had come early. "Shame such a power is wasted on a treacherous bastard like you!"_

" _Excuse me!?" Jaune snapped, a look of fury breaking his cold façade as Pyrrha just laughed darkly._

" _Tell me…" Pyrrha began as she saw the Empress' echo resting on the throne behind Jaune, gazing down at her as if she were a worthless insect._

 _ ***Flash***_

"…Who are you fighting for!?" A bloodied Pyrrha demanded making Jaune glare at her fiercely.

"Don't you dare question my loyalty!" Jaune snapped as their blades struggled for dominance. Pyrrha sneered at him, her arms trembling against Jaune's might.

"Loyalty? Funny, where I'm from what you're doing is called treason!" Pyrrha declared making Jaune's eyes widen before a look of pure fury crossed his face, his power exploding from his body as he pushed Pyrrha down to her knees, cracks appearing her weapon as she realized that this might honestly be the day she died.

Still.

She refused to let up.

"Who are you fighting for!? Because last I checked the only Empress…" Pyrrha began, her body shining red as her muscles tensed

 _ ***Flash***_

"… _is the one behind me!" Pyrrha snapped, startling Jaune with her words. Mustering up the strength necessary, she was able to push Crocea Mors back just far enough to slip away and disengage from the fight. Jaune stumbled back, looking up behind Pyrrha by reflex where he could see Ruby staring down at him, tears flowing from her eyes._

" _I-"_

" _Fight Jaune!" The Empress' echo snapped from behind him, snapping him from his stupor just in time to parry another strike from Pyrrha. He was forced to block attacks from every direction as Pyrrha danced around him, striking at every opening she could find._

" _You aren't raising your blade for the Empress and you aren't raising it for yourself!" Pyrrha snapped flipping over him and slashing at him as she did. Crouching the moment she landed behind him, she dodged a backwards swing from Jaune. His blade sailed over her head missing by mere inches as she spun her javelin around and stabbed backwards at him. "A blade wielded for no one can't ever hope to reach me!"_

 _Jaune grunted, cracks spreading on his aura from the blow that sent him sliding back._

" _I was wrong, I thought it was either me or you, that I was expendable. But she reached out to me, showed me her light and I realized…" Pyrrha continued as she attacked him, the ferocity of her blows forcing him to fight on the defensive. "…that I cannot die here!" Pyrrha roared making Ruby gasp as she watched the battle._

 _She didn't know how much she would remember when she snapped out of this chance, but Ruby knew that even if her mind wouldn't remember this experience…_

… _her heart would._

" _I won't abandon her, I won't hurt her, and I'll do my best to live for her!" Pyrrha declared, her blows becoming stronger with each proclamation. "I will not have your regrets!" Pyrrha shouted, making Jaune snarl before slamming a blow that was so powerful, that even when she parried it, it still knocked her high into the air._

" _You can't know that!"_

" _Oh, but I fucking can!" Pyrrha countered flipping back and correcting herself in the air. "Because the only way Ruby will fall is over_ _ **my dead body."**_ _Pyrrha swore as she landed at the edge of the colosseum, right in front of Ruby who was staring at her back in surprise. "She reached out to me and I will never let her go." Pyrrha declared before throwing her javelin high into the air before her shield and second javelin flew up from her back to join it._

 _ ***Flash***_

Pyrrha dissembled her javelin and her broken one with her semblance. Soon the pieces came together and began to connect to each other in a way Jaune had never seen before as her shield flew towards her javelins as well.

Miló

 _ **To speak**_

Miló: Alternative

 _ **To lie**_

Akoúo̱

 _ **To listen**_

And now…

Jaune watched, stunned, as Pyrrha's weapons all merged into a large halberd, her shield acting as its blade.

" **Ginóskó!"** Pyrrha shouted, rallying together all of her resolve, every clash, every experience, everything she was into this one moment. A weight seemed to settle on the battlefield as Pyrrha pumped out every bit of aura she could, her body's wounds bleeding from the effort as if she were trying to put her very _blood_ into her aura. Pyrrha roared before leaping off of the cliff, a powerful shot from the weapon sending her blasting towards Jaune with enough speed to create a small sonic boom.

 _ **To know, intimately…to understand.**_

"I won't lose!" Pyrrha roared as she stabbed forward with the weapon.

Time seemed to slow as Jaune raised his blade with both hand, bowing his head as tears slid down his cheeks.

" _That look in your eye…I know it all too well. To the point it hurts."_ Jaune thought angrily. _"That hope, that determination, that feeling that you will never fail, that you would do anything and give everything for her. I was once like you, but then I learned the truth…that no matter how hard you try, no matter what you give, it will never be enough."_

Jaune turned his blade around, aiming it towards the ground.

" _I tried to protect her from everything. Herself, her enemies, the very world. I always held the line. Never faltering, destroying my own code just to keep her safe...to serve her the best that I could!_ " Jaune thought desperately, an image of him in bloodsoaked armor standing tall in a field of corpses as he stabbed the empire's banner into the ground.

He gave.

He conquered.

He destroyed.

All for her, and it was not enough.

" _You know not the hell of the path you walk, allow me to show you what awaits at the end."_ Jaune thought before stabbing his blade into the ground with as the strength he could muster just as Pyrrha weapon reached him.

" _ **Lancaster: Anti-World!"**_

Pyrrha eyes widened as a bright white light erupted from Jaune's body, the moment her weapon connected. A loud ringing echoed so loudly that she wouldn't be surprised if those watching on campus could hear it. Her arm trembled as her weapon failed to pierce him. Jaune didn't so much as budge as he looked up at her with pity.

This was the ultimate defense.

A literal wall of aura, his very soul, his resolve that would not let anything breach it as he held the line. Her attack, she had designed to be unstoppable. His defense, he had designed to be unbreakable. These two forces finally collided and it had truly become a clash of wills as one would eventually have to give. Everything on her side began to be reduced into nothing while everything behind him remained unscathed. She felt her power being redirected towards her as the red and white petals of light from their bodies flew around them in a vortex of white and red.

"Look at this. Look at what I made. Years dedicated to crafting the perfect defense and it still wasn't enough!" Jaune snapped and Pyrrha's eyes widened as she could swear she could see hundreds, if not thousands of shadowy figures standing behind Jaune, each with eyes of silver.

The Knights of Rose…

…even in death they lend their aid to their captain, supporting him as he held the line.

"I did everything, gave everything, and I still failed everyone! I am not the man you think I am." Jaune said darkly. "I am not worthy of absolution." Jaune said tiredly as his aura began to effortlessly push Pyrrha back.

 **BGM: END**

 ***Flash back: two months ago***

 **BGM: All Might vs. All For One-Boku No Hero season 3 OST (YouTube it)**

" _Our creed?" Jaune questioned, staring up at the stars as Pyrrha met him on the roof. "I suppose I did say I'd tell you when I had the chance. Alright Knight, listen closely…"_

 _ ***Flashback: End***_

"Faith…" Pyrrha began quietly, a fire returning to her eye as she glared at Jaune as blood spilled from the wound on her face making it appear as she were crying both tears and blood.

"What?" Jaune whispered as her trembling slowed.

"…Charity, justice, sagacity, prudence, temperance!" Pyrrha continued, her voice getting louder with each word, her aura shined brighter even as the cracks deepened. "Resolution, truth, liberality, diligence, hope, and valor!"

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Jaune's arms began to tremble as Pyrrha weapon stayed true, fighting against his aura with so much force that Jaune found it difficult to keep it at bay. Even as thousands of his fallen comrades filled the stands and cheered his name, Pyrrha's resolve was the only one not shaken._

" _These are the virtues that are adopted by those whom choose the life of a knight." Pyrrha continued as cracks appeared on Jaune's ultimate defense. "In a world overrun with evil, these are the virtues adopted by desperate individuals whom seek to protect their only chance at salvation!" Pyrrha continued as her image began to blur in Jaune's eyes as he found himself focusing on the sobbing form of Ruby up on her throne. "A reluctant heroine turned Empress."_

" _Mankind's last hope." Jaune found himself whispering as Pyrrha's weapon began to breach his defense._

" _We are her shields against the darkness, and her weapons to destroy it! And as a weapon I shall not fail her!" Pyrrha roared._

" _I…" Jaune began, cracks appearing on his silver irises. "...see…" Jaune muttered before both the silver in his eyes and his aura shattered like glass as Pyrrha's weapon exploded, leaving only her cracked javelin which pierced his shoulder._

" _Jaune!" The Empress shouted, but Pyrrha was far from done, her power exploding as her feet touched the ground, she continued on forward with Jaune still pierced on her weapon._

" _Pyrrha!" Ruby shouted. "Get rid of her!" Ruby demanded, making the echo pale as Pyrrha seemed prepared to do just that. Charging forward up the stairs as if a rising star, the Empress could see that Jaune had never been her target._

" _Yes…your majesty!" Pyrrha shouted as the Empress tried to climb from her throne but it was too late. Pushing her javelin further through Jaune's shoulder, she pierced it right through the Empress' chest making the echo scream. "I'm getting real tired of killing you, you're a memory…" Pyrrha trailed off, ripping her javelin free as the Empress fell to her knees, clutching desperately at her chest. "...stay that way."_

 **BGM: END**

 **-Auditorium-**

"Holy shit…what are they!?" Yang asked incredulously as the red and white auras transformed into a bright pink dome that engulfed both Jaune and Pyrrha.

"She's a monster…" _Nora_ said incredulously, never before seeing Jaune's absolute defense fail. The combatants were obscured from view by the pink light but even so, one by one the students rose-across all years- and chanted Pyrrha's name.

At the end of the day, she was the pride of their school.

And after seeing this, they knew she'd be the one to win them the Vytal tournament.

"Seems, Ms. Nikos wins." Glynda said to the faculty, confusing them as both huntsmen remained unseen though they could see that both auras had reached zero. When the light died down and the dust settled, however, they could see that Pyrrha had been embedded into the side of the cliff from the explosion and Jaune was lying flat on his back.

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Jaune was on his back, gazing up at Pyrrha who looked down at him sadly. Both his aura and the Empress' light was gone. Never had he felt so empty._

" _I lost."_

" _You say that like it's a bad thing." Pyrrha said making Jaune frown a bit in confusion, at least until he heard his name being shouted loudly before a pair of thin arms reached around him and pulled him up._

" _Thank God you're okay!" Ruby said, holding him tightly as her shoulders shook. His eyes widened as he felt his neck becoming damp with her tears. "Jaune, we just got Blake back now you tried to leave too!? Please Jaune don't…leave me…" Ruby pleaded and Jaune's chest ached at how small her voice sounded._

 _He was wrong._

 _He thought he'd have nothing left to keep him sane if he lost his echoes._

 _That them serving as reminders would be enough to force him forward until his body caved._

 _He was wrong._

 _He didn't have nothing._

 _In fact, he had everything he needed and more._

 _Tears fell from Jaune's eyes as his strong arms circled around Ruby and held her tightly. He had almost given up everything, he had been so blind, so stupid…_

" _I…" Jaune couldn't speak, his throat feeling far too tight to do so as his eyes burned._

" _I don't care what you think or what anyone tells you, you aren't expendable. I need both you and Pyrrha in my life." Ruby said through her sobs. "Was my older self that bad? That you couldn't see how much I need you?" Ruby asked in confusion before a familiar feeling built up inside her as her eyes shone._

 _She still couldn't control it well._

 _When she felt the familiar sensation, she chose not to waste it. Pulling back, she looked up at Jaune's eyes, his image reflected in hers._

" _Please Jaune…_ _ **see what I see when I look at you."**_ _Ruby said and Jaune's eyes widened as he felt a familiar-no- a more powerful light filled his being as Pyrrha smiled a bit to herself as she pulled Ruby back when his body engulfed itself in a silver light. When the light died down, Jaune knelt a suit of blinding beautifully crafted armor. It glimmered so much, that Pyrrha thought he was wearing a suit of mirrors for a moment._

 _Amazing._

 _ **BGM: Shattered-Trading Yesterday**_

 _That was the only word, Ruby could think before she reached down and grabbed Jaune's blade as he knelt before her. Glancing at Pyrrha she gestured for her to do the same, confusing the red-head a bit before she knelt next to Jaune. It was then that Ruby did something neither expected but should have saw coming._

 _She smacked them both._

" _You're idiots, both of you." Ruby said, narrowing her eyes at them as they rubbed their sore cheeks. "Don't you ever do this again." Ruby ordered making them avert their eyes before nodding. "My memories still have trouble staying in tact when I'm conscious. That said, I've learned enough to say this. If I'm going to lead you, I'm going to do it right."_

 _It was then Ruby unsheathed Crocea Mors._

 _And with the ancient blade, she knighted them._

 _Both Jaune and Pyrrha looked up at her in surprise at the gesture. Ruby's face was flushed slightly as she gave them a cheeky grin._

" _I'll be in your care." Ruby said as she handed Jaune his weapon back before folding her hands behind her. "Let's do our best to make sure we_ _ **all**_ _get out of this alive, alright?" Ruby asked and that alone._

 _The idea that she actually wanted to survive combined with a renewed sense of hope that she could._

 _Broke Jaune._

 _Pyrrha and Ruby hugged the sobbing man as he held them tightly in return, determined to not let either of them go._

 **-Jaune and Pyrrha-**

In the distance, the second cocoon cracked open before another butterfly broke free.

Pyrrha wasn't sure she could move anymore as Jaune, to her surprise, forced himself to his feet and began stumbling towards her tiredly, pulling her blade from his shoulder as he did so. As he walked, she could still see fragments falling off of him.

 _ **["Brother we miss you!"]**_

A tear fell from Jaune's eye as he saw his sisters waving at him sadly as he walked past them. When he did, they shattered after bidding him a farewell. It was then a remorseful Pyrrha, _the former_ Pyrrha, appeared before him, her body still engulfed in flames.

 _ **["I'm sorry. I shouldn't have held you back…please keep going."]**_

And he did just that, walking through her image, ignoring the flames that no longer hurt him as her image shattered. Next, Weiss appeared before him, a sight that made him stumble slightly but he still pressed forward.

 _ **["I don't blame you."]**_ Weiss said as another tear fell from his eye as he passed her. _**["I'll always be watching over you, thank you for everything."]**_ Weiss said sincerely before her image shattered as well but before she disappeared completely she added. _ **["And thank you for teaching me what love is."]**_

 _ **["Sir!"]**_

Dozens if not hundreds or even thousands of knights surrounded them then, all kneeling as they made a path between him and Pyrrha. They shattered by the dozens as he past them and when they all dispersed he stood before Pyrrha, the last of his aura falling off. Between him and her was the Empress.

"Why…why did you go so far for me?" Jaune questioned, confusing Pyrrha before a look of disgust filled her face.

"Are you really that stupid? And they said actions spoke louder than words." Pyrrha said with a scoff before shaking her head. "Why do you think? It's because I love you, you idiot." Pyrrha said making Jaune's eyes widen he found himself looking past the Empress and at _Pyrrha._

Smiling faintly to herself, the Empress simply walked past Jaune, kissing him in the corner of his mouth before shattering behind him.

"You're insane." Jaune said breathlessly, making Pyrrha scoff.

"Pot or kettle?" Pyrrha questioned, though even she couldn't hide her reddening cheeks as she saw that for once, Jaune was finally looking at _her._ "Though it's not too bad, guess that just means we can lose our minds together."

"That…doesn't sound half bad, but we'll worry about that another day." Jaune said as he raised his fist, reminding Pyrrha that the fight wasn't over. She closed her eye as she saw him bring his fist down, but instead of hitting her, it buried itself into the side of the cliff, right next to her head. "You still have a job to do. Are you or are you not her symbol?" Jaune questioned making Pyrrha's eye widen before she chuckled to herself, forcing her self forward before slamming her head into his. An act that sent him crashing back as she fell on top of him.

 **BGM: END**

 **BGM: Centuries- Fallout Boy**

"You're right…but don't forget that you have a job to do as well, captain." Pyrrha whispered into his ear before rising up and forcing herself up to her feet as the clouds parted and shone down upon her. Her beginning to raise her fist was the last thing Jaune saw before his vision went black. Extending her index finger, she pointed high into the sky as if to tell everyone she was still number one. It took a moment, but Pyrrha soon realized that she was crying.

She had both won and lost.

She had accomplished everything she had set out to do. She saved the man she loved, broke her limits time and time again. She herself had been broken and rebuilt and for once she truly felt as though she understood her place in life. However, she had finally met it.

Her cap.

The ceiling to her power.

Officially, this fight would be recorded as her win, but she knew the truth. She had lost. She only stood due to a sense of duty from Jaune and she knew that. She had finally been defeated and actually got to live to bask in the feeling.

She spotted her crown in the distance and immediately lost any urge to ever wear it again.

Which was fine, thinking of Ruby, she realized she found someone else more deserving anyway.

Out of all her battles.

Out of all her victories.

She would truly say that this was truly a Pyrrhic Victory.

Falling to her knees, her vision swam as she moved over and rested next to Jaune. The concerned exclamations of their friends in the distance as she closed her eyes.

 **-One week: later-**

"How is that?" Dr. Polendina questioned as Pyrrha's new prosthetic eye focused, allowing her to see even better than she could with her dominant eye. "With that, you should be able to see much further and even track movements a lot easier to adapt."

Great.

Another advantage.

"Thank you." Pyrrha said both disappointed yet very grateful. Her weakness lost her that eye, Chiron would have a fit if he found it was rewarded with something better. As if sensing her true feelings, Jaune stepped forward and handed her a small black box.

"From Ruby, she had been working on it all week for you." Jaune said, confusing Pyrrha who opened the box. Her eyes widened and her heart swelled when she saw a black eye-patch with a crimson rose emblem embroidered into it.

"Does she…" Pyrrha began breathlessly making Jaune shrug.

"No idea. If she does or doesn't remember is only know to her. It'll be up to her to tell us if she does or not." Jaune said as Pyrrha smile brightly before putting it on.

"Well then, now I have to go out and finish the look." Pyrrha said as she rose up and ripped off the hairband that was keeping her hair in a pony-tail. "I'll do it over the break. We have a month right, until next semester?"

"Yes. Glynda and I will be handling business in Atlas during the break." Jaune said, making Pyrrha nod.

"I'll be with Weiss, won't lie, didn't expect her to take my training offer to live in the lower levels for a month. I'm starting to really like her." Pyrrha said, making Jaune snort.

"Just don't go easy on her."

"Like hell, who do you think I am?" Pyrrha said with a vicious smirk. "Yang and Nora will be staying on campus to train right?"

"They'll be on Patch." Jaune corrected. "Can't risk training Yang at Beacon."

"What about Ren and Blake?"

"The less we know the better." Jaune said, making Pyrrha shrug, knowing whatever the two stealthiest of the group did was probably best unknown unless absolutely necessary. She loved Ren like a brother, but the man unnerved her.

"And Ruby?" Pyrrha asked before bidding Dr. Polendina farewell as she and Jaune left.

"She's in good hands."

 **-With Ruby-**

Standing on the top of Vale's wall, Ruby had nothing but the clothes on her back as she looked out at the deserted remnants of Vale's outskirts that had been overrun with Grimm. Hearing a flapping sound behind her, she turned just in time to see Qrow landing next to her.

"What do you think?" Qrow questioned as they looked out at the devastation.

"Besides that I still can't get used to you being part bird? I'm scared, but excited too. We're going to be out there for a month?" Ruby questioned, making Qrow nod.

"I neglected your training too much, so now we're going to have a special session. I'll teach you how to fight and hopefully between the two of us we can figure out how to get you more accustomed to your eyes." Qrow said before sighing. "Your dad would kill me if he knew we were going to start messing around with your eyes."

"Pretending they don't exist won't help."

"It won't which is why I'm here." Qrow said before sighing. "You looked like you were deep in thought, something on your mind, Rubes?"

"Not much. Just realized that I'm going to take it all back."

"Take what back?"

" _ **Everything."**_ Ruby answered, a determined expression on her face as her eyes flickered briefly as she gazed out at the devastated city.

 **Volume 1: End**

 **Extra scene:**

 **-?-**

" _ **Let's hope you don't fall again, shall we? I must admit, you've taken to the Grimm far better than I had hoped. You have more power than I expected."**_ Salem said as she gazed into a dark room where a pair of crimson eyes glared back at her. _**"After all, we do need Vale to fall. Do not fail me again, I do value our partnership after all, Adam."**_

A bestial roar was her only response but it served to make her grin widen to the point that it didn't seem to fit her face correctly.

" _ **Good boy."**_

 **End.**

 **Will: Well HOLY SHIT! This was long Rebuke. LONG. Dude, you raised the BAR with this one. It had everything I wanted to see in the fight! DAMN was this satisfying to edit…yet at the same time it was kind of a nightmare to edit. *Rereads the entire chapter again***

…

 **Scratch that, it WAS a nightmare to edit. The usual suspects in grammar errors were there but missing words AND sentences!? Rebuke, I had to be careful and add as little as I can for it to make sense yet that meant I had to be careful and not modify too much to keep it within your vision.**

…

 **Still, this was indeed awesome to work on and I had fun regardless of the rant. *Shows an image of me pacing and LARPing around my house while editing the chapter because it's that awesome* Now, I shall eagerly await the next volume with hype Lord Rebuke and, of course, Lady Rebuff. See you all next time!**

 **Rebuke: *Bows* I apologize Will-sama. I had to get this out before I left on my trip, so I typed a bit faster than usual.**

 **Rebuff: You're such a dick lol.**

 **Rebuke: He's still sane, right? He'll be fine…I think. Oh well questionable mental stability aside, on to the reviews!**

 _ **Reviews:**_

 **Huge Fan: Thanks for the review and I hear you loud and clear, will try to label it better in the future!**

 **Aidis: Glad you enjoyed it Glad to see this story has such an impact and I hope I can maintain your interest till it reaches its conclusion.**

 **AJ Lexie: Glad you liked the chapter Lex! Glad to hear it lol that's hilarious glad that I'll be able to navigate and not get lost. Haven't been on a train in a while, interested in seeing them. Don't worry I'll tell you all about it when I make it back!**

 **Xys: Haha thanks for the review! You're right about the questions caused but fortunately Glynda and the councilor will be able to turn this PR mess into something useful.**

 **Quijibo7609: Responded to most of your review in a PM. Thanks for the review! I won't lie I forgot all about JAM project until just now lmao. Glad you like the story and hopefully the last scene gave you some insight about the scaling of the villains in this story. Also, thanks once more for the Idea for Pyrrha's word, definitely ended up using it lol.**

 **RayD2Kill: Nice catch, will change it alter! Thanks for the review!**

 **TheNeah: Glad you liked the chapter and that you stuck through the first volume, hopefully you'll continue to enjoy the rest as well!**

 **The Silver-eyed Knight: Responded to most of the review in a PM. Glad you liked the story! Still, I'll say again in case someone else reads the replies to reviews. This is volume 1, like the show it is meant to be easy, things will pick up and they will be tested more as the story continues now that they have found their footing. (P.S. she probably will).**

 **FateBurn: Thanks! Glad you liked it!**

 **Swordhunter89: Well here's the next one, hope it lived up to your expectations! Thanks for reading!**

 **Speedy24: Lol glad you like it! Hopefully I can maintain your interest for the rest of the story, there is still much that needs to be done.**

 **Ultimate Kuuga: In time it will! Thanks for the review my friend!**

 **Korben600: Glad you like the direction I took Blake. Like you said she is the hardest to write for a multitude of reasons surrounding both her skillset and character arc as a whole. That said, I think I found a way to handle it naturally and in a way that stays true to her character. Hope you liked this chapter as well!**

 **Noise95: Thanks for the review! Only time will tell, as of now she hasn't even thought about her potential for magic just yet, that's something to be revealed as the story progresses.**

 **Bankerrtx01: Lol happy you enjoyed the story, consider this the last of me ramping it up for a while. Volume 1 comes to a close as everyone is a bit more comfortable with their lots in life. Volume 2 will reflect that and though it will be hype, it'll be a lot more chill and easier on the feels than volume 1.**

 **Littlest1: Lol thank you both for the amazing words and the kind words, they mean a lot to me trust me. Hopefully I can continue to write this story in a way that everyone enjoys! Hopefully you enjoy this addition and the conclusion for the first volume!**

 **FatherMordteiva: Think of it as a mix of Iron Man (usage) and Reinhardt (appearance though a bit slimmer) from Overwatch. Glad you liked the chapter and thanks for the review, took your idea to heart and tested it out this chapter. Let me know what you think!**

 **Dandyrr0403: Thanks for the review! Happy to see you enjoyed it. Everyone is coming to their own and some people (Adam) are tasting cosmic justice. Nora's part was also one of my favorite to write so happy to hear you liked it lol.**

 **AmethystPone: It was a teaser for this chapter, thanks for the review!**

 **Hero of the Multiverse: NEVARRRR :D Seriously though, this chapter was the last of the drama for a while, volume 2 starts with a clean slate and has a more "present" focus instead of the past like volume 1.**

 **The Wolf Paladin: Karma, gotta love it lol. Triggered is an understatement, glad you liked the chapter! Hope you enjoy this one as well!**

 **Thank you all for your support over the years and starting next month I'll take my first step in following my dreams. On your end, though, not much will change except hopefully faster and more frequent updates but still, it's nice. I couldn't ask for a more kick ass fanbase you insane fuckers have sat through OVER 2,000,000 words!**

 **Rebuff: Fucking excuse me!?**

 **Hell yeah! That's on average, over twenty-five books worth of pure insanity, they're troopers! All of them! But importantly-**

 **Rebuff:-they're classy?**

 **Now you're learning! And they should stay that way!**

 **Reading and Review!**

 **~RebukeX7**


	15. V2 Teaser: Double feature

**Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY but I do own everything in the second teaser including my new Avatar which will be the series logo. (BTW added a link to the concept art of the cover on my page.)**

 _ **Rebuff: How long have you wanted to say that?**_

 **Too, long Buffy, too long. Question if I wrote a fanfic on my own work would it be canon?**

 _ **Rebuff: One shouldn't ask such dangerous questions, boss, you're reaching concerning levels of meta.**_

 **Noted.**

 _ **Rebuff: Also? Teaser? Bitch! Do you see this word count!? What part of take it easy am I failing to beat into you?**_

 **I regret nothing.**

 _ **Rebuff:…**_

 ***sweats* Moving on! Following is the volume two teaser for Knights of Rose, a brief look at what our heroes are doing during their month off! I put it first because, let's be honest, its what you're hear for! However, should you stay afterwards you'll be treated to what I'd like to call, Chapter 0 of my story. Exclusive to my fanfic readers atm. When the book is released this chapter will not be featured. It doesn't have impact on the official narrative but serves to get you started in dipping your toes into the world I've built.**

 **Also, unfortunate news, my hard drive crashed which is why many of you are reading this and not the chapter of Sora I promised. Good news the twilight fic got destroyed as well.**

 **Rebuff: Bad news, your ass is still accountable for the bet.**

 **FUCK-I mean- yeah well this was a major set back all things considered but fortunately Rebuff has a copy of my storyboards and I had a copy of my original work in an email. This could have been A LOT worse but as it stands everything is probably just going to be delayed a month so expect Sora in mid-late August. Sorry for the delay, but for once it was not completely my fault T_T.**

 **Now on to the BGMs**

 _ **KoR Teaser BGMs:**_

 **Bloodstream-Stateless**

 **Vengeance-Zack Hemsey**

 **All of you is all of me [EXTENDED]-No Game no Life OST**

…

…

 _ **Presence: Year One BGMs**_ **(Best part about this being here is I can still use BGMs and not get sued cause I ain't making shit off this chapter)**

 _ **Criminal-Earl St. Clair**_

 _ **Don't Sweat the Technique- Eric B & Rakim**_

 _ **[Teaser#1: The Knights of Rose: Volume 2]**_

 **-Yellow: Clarity-**

"Hold on, boy. I'm gonna go call the girls in, it looks like rain is coming." Tai said to Zwei whom just sat down and wagged his tail playfully. "Good boy." Tai said before he left the house to go find his daughter and her strange new friend. He was still surprised that Yang would want to come back to this boring island over break and even bring someone along with her.

After a moment or two he stumbled across a clearing, one that had a small little creek that led to a waterfall.

"Okay Yang, just like that, deep breaths." Nora's voice said gently. Confused, Tai stepped back, hiding behind a tree as he glanced around and spotted Yang and Nora sitting beneath the waterfall, the icy water crashing down upon them. "Now give me your hand." Nora said as she gripped Yang's hand gently as they sat side by side in a lotus position, their eyes closed. "Good, now activate your semblance."

"What? But last time–"

"Yang." Nora interrupted patiently. "You've done well when it comes to not depending on it, but you're now refusing to use your semblance to better yourself anymore, are you?" Nora asked knowingly, she squeezed Yang's hand reassuringly when she felt her tense. "You're afraid, aren't you?

"…"

"Yang."

"Okay, yes is that what you want to hear!?" Yang snapped, and Nora could feel her temperature rising. "It's terrifying, to suddenly come out of a haze and realize you almost attacked your friends. I feel like a monster and that terrifies me–"

"It's okay."

"–And-w-what?" Yang questioned, startled.

"It's okay, to be afraid." Nora explained. "Strength doesn't come from acting without fear, it comes from acting despite of it. You have a power in you, one greater than you know. You can do a lot of good with it, but you have to come to peace with yourself first."

"And how do I do that?"

"Our Semblances are tied to our emotions. Something inside you is hurting you, angering you. Your rage is the emotion you feel the most connected to which is why its so easy to trigger your semblance with it, but you gotta understand Yang. Your anger is just _one_ trigger, not the only one." Nora explained surprising Yang. "When you fight, have you ever tried something besides rage to trigger your semblance?"

"I…"

No she hadn't.

"You took the easy way out." Nora said simply. "You found the easiest way to activate your power, an all too easy to trigger emotion and now you're dependent on it. You don't even understand how much you've held yourself back."

"So…how do I fix myself?" Yang asked curiously making Nora giggle.

"You're _not broken_ Yang, just misguided." Nora explained before squeezing Yang's hand. "Now deep breaths, close your eyes." Nora said as Yang followed her instructions. "Good, just like that, listen to my voice, feel my power entering you, and relax…" Nora said as Yang followed her instructions before falling deep into the meditation.

 **-?-**

Opening her eyes, Yang was startled to find herself in a pitch-black void. However, before she could voice her confusion a pink light sprung to life right next to her, revealing Nora. Just like in the outside world, Nora was still holding her hand as pink sparks danced over their bodies.

"Where are we?"

"Where you need to be, follow me." Nora said as she led Yang through the realm, both of them floating forward through the void. The two moved in silence before stopping when they saw a massive ornate door floating high above them. A bright blue light could be seen in front of the door before a massive staircase appears before them leading right up to the door. "Behind that door is a place I've wanted to bring people to for a long time, unfortunately none had the 'key' needed to open the door. But I think you do."

"Me?" Yang asked in surprise as Nora nodded, a grin splitting her face.

"That light? That's your key, all you need to do is grab it." Nora said before gently releasing Yang's hand. "I brought you this far, now you have to go on by yourself." Nora explained, gently placing her hand in the center of Yang's back, smiling sadly as she saw Yang hesitate. "Go." Nora urged her, nudging her forward with a light push.

"Huh, w-wait N…Nora…" Yang trailed off when she looked back to find Nora missing. Turning around she found the door and the mysterious light missing as well. She was alone in a plane of nothingness, an experience that left her feeling lost.

A feeling she didn't have for long.

An explosion of fire suddenly erupted around Yang, trapping her in a hellish inferno that was so bright she was forced to shield her eyes.

 **BGM: Bloodstream-Stateless**

" _ **Well, Well, what do we have here?"**_ A voice questioned, confusing Yang deeply. The voice was familiar yet foreign to Yang and when she forced herself to open her eyes she found a familiar looking silhouette approaching her from the flames, two bright red lights shining from where its eyes should have been. The figure's form resembled her greatly but when the stranger stepped through the flames, Yang found herself not staring at herself…

…but rather…

"…M-Mom!?" Yang asked incredulously as Raven stood before Yang, here crimson eyes shining brightly.

"Not quite." Raven said with a voice that most definitely belonged to Yang. In that moment, everything became clear to Yang as she narrowed her eyes at Raven.

"You're…my semblance, aren't you?" Yang questioned making Raven grin. "Why do you look like that?"

"What?" Raven asked as if Yang were the dumbest person in the world. "You feed me nothing but your anger and insecurities and turn around and ask why I look like the source of them all?" Raven questioned making Yang flinch. "Maybe you were right, maybe you are as dumb as you think." Raven said with a scoff making Yang clench her fists tightly.

"What do you want?" Yang questioned making Raven's grin widen.

"To make a deal." Raven said as her crimson eyes shone with ill-intent. Stepping to the side, the flames opened to once more reveal the stair-case leading up to the massive door. The bright blue light reflected in Yang's eyes as she looked up at it. "See all that light? That power? It's all coming from a flame about…this big." Raven said as she held her index finger and thumb about an inch apart. "Small but it has more power than even I do and that's without you stoking that flame, giving it something to feed on."

"What…does that have to do with you?" Yang questioned making Raven rub the bridge of her nose.

"I'm getting to that, now listen up. I can't interact with it. At all, which is annoying seeing how its been there since you were born." Raven explained. "However, you can. Like me it can be fed off of an emotion that will let you trigger it. So…I want you to feed it…me." Raven explained, startling Yang.

"W-what?"

"Think about it, the damage, the destruction, the pure havoc we could unleash together. If you think I make you strong now imagine after I become one with that! That girl out there, Nora, the one you're too chicken shit to sort your feeling out about? She's like a god, she has this power but I can tell, she wasn't born with it like us, it was given to her. But us? We can take that ember, turn it into an inferno! If she's a god then we can be a demon, a devil!"

"Why would I want that!?" Yang questioned incredulously, making Raven scoff.

"Come now Yang, what has god ever done for you? He just takes, and takes, and takes. I can give you the power to _take back_. Never again will we be abandoned, think of it, Yang!" Raven said with a manic grin. The words Raven said to her, terrified her deeply but what scared her even more…

…was the fact she was tempted.

She could see it now, herself engulfing her enemies with a terrifying inferno, destroying any who stood in her way while her friends were kept safe and sound with her.

She couldn't protect Summer but she could protect Ruby.

Her mother left her but she could ensure her father wouldn't.

Hell, she could probably even stop Qrow from continuing his disappearing routine.

Her friends would never face anything like they had at the docks again.

Nora wouldn't have to fight like she had ever again-

-Nora…she could keep her safe.

Protect her.

 _ **Keep her.**_

Raven grinned darkly as Yang's eyes turned a blazing red.

"Yes, that's it, go up there and feed me to it, it's not like you have anything else to offer." Raven said and unfortunately for her that proved to be her undoing, as Yang was suddenly startled, her eyes going from red to lilac.

"I…" Yang trailed off as she looked at her trembling hands.

No.

That wasn't true was it?

Was that really all that was to her? Anger and fear? That…

"…That's not true…." Yang said, her voice wavering as she looked up at Raven through tear-filled eyes, tears that burned as soon as they touched her cheeks. "There's more to me than that!" Yang shouted desperately as Raven glowered at her.

She knew it was true.

She felt it every time she was with her loved ones.

Her friends.

Her sister.

Nora.

There was more in her heart than anger, much more!

"No, I refuse. I'm going to feed that flame something, but it won't be you." Yang swore, making Raven glare at her darkly.

"You're not strong enough to make such a decision!" Raven boomed, as she raised her hand high before a crimson blade appeared in it that was identical to the one Yang saw in her parent's team picture. "And I'll prove it!" Raven declared before bringing the blade down mercilessly. Yang clenched her fists tightly but instead of raising them, she let them fall to her sides as the blade cut through her image as if she weren't there. "W-what!? Why…why didn't you try to block? To fight me!?"

"Because I'm _tired_ of fighting you." Yang said quietly, tears falling freely, before stepping right through Raven's image and placing her foot on the first step. "You can't exist without me…" Yang said before taking another step, an act that made Raven trembled as her hair went from black to blonde. Taking a third step, Ravens' armor disappeared and was replaced with Yang's.

However, after that?

With each step, Yang's doppelganger began to de-age until she was nothing more than frightened little girl. Terrified, the younger Yang held herself tightly, as tears fell from her crimson eyes. Her shoulders shook before she finally spun around "Fine! You win just don't…leave…me…" The younger Yang trailed of, confused, when she saw her older counterpart extending a hand down towards her.

"…Let me finish." Yang said with a sad smile. "I can't exist without you either, you got me this far, kept me alive. We _need_ each other. So how about we work together?"

"B-but…once you have that power…you'll never need me again…" The young Yang whimpered out. "Ever since you made your friends, you've needed me less in less, its why I've taken every chance to lash out at them, if…if you were alone again, it would be like old times…I'd matter."

"So that's it…" Yang muttered before stepping forward and scooping the small girl up in her arms. "I may not _depend_ on you as much, but I'll always _need_ you. For better or worse you've been the source of my strength and that won't change…you just won't be the _only_ source. And besides with the emotion I plan to feed that flame up there? I doubt I'll ever be able to use it in battle, it'll be too hard for a hothead like me."

"Why…why would you hinder yourself like that?"

"You can feel it can't you? That power…it's not meant for fighting." Yang said ominously. "But you are, so we will always be together." Yang said as she continued to walk towards the door.

"P-promise?"

"Promise." Yang swore making her counterpart smile before she merged with Yang in a swirl of flames that forced Yang to close her eyes and when she opened them, they had gone from lilac to a blazing red.

Now standing above the blue flame, Yang extended a hand towards it and the closer she got, the more it rose up and grew, transforming into a bright blue hand that met Yang halfway. Grasping the hand firmly, Yang pulled it out revealing a woman that didn't look like Yang or Raven.

"Yeah…" Yang said quietly. "…I know _exactly_ what emotion to feed you." Yang said as she looked at a woman that was identical to Nora only instead of having greenish blue eyes, they were just a bright blue that had small blue flames within each of them. The strange woman just smiled as she grabbed both of Yang's hands firmly as the door opened behind her, releasing a brightly. Walking backwards the woman pulled Yang into the light, whom nearly immediately broke down upon seeing the beauty on the other side. "…what is this place?" Yang questioned in wonder.

" _ **The realm of the gods…a safe place…Val…"**_

 **BGM: END**

 **-Outside-**

"…halla…." Yang whispered, opening her eyes only now they weren't red or lilac but rather a bright blue. Everything was clear to her now as she sat beneath the waterfall and looked up at the now clear sky, fish hopped from the streams, the wind blew through her hair, and a rainbow reflected in her irises as she took in everything.

From the animals that were around them, doing their own thing.

To her flabbergasted father she could sense hiding in the distance.

Oddly enough, however, she didn't care as she focused her newfound sense of clarity on the woman next to her. Her previous power felt like a drop in the ocean of strength that was currently flowing through her.

"You made it." Nora said proudly, her irises now a bright pink as she too entered her godly state. For a moment neither said anything as they stared at each other, a bright blue mixing with an electric pink.

"I love you." Yang said suddenly, making Nora's grin widen.

I know." Nora said warmly and neither touched any further on the subject, because now that Yang's mind was clear for once she realized that though her complex feelings, her love, was genuine it was not romantic. The two of them shared a strange bond that was unsaid but understood between the two of them and that was something that wouldn't change. "So, what now? Got a lot of power…want to test it out?"

"No. This strength…isn't meant for fighting." Yang said quietly before leaning against Nora as they looked up at the sky. "I'm tired of fighting…"

"Me too." Nora said quietly, though Yang could definitely feel the depth of Nora's words and how much they weighed down upon her in her current state. "Let's just live for a moment…and then…we can figure out how to explain this to your dad."

"Well he can't hear us from there. So how about you let me guilt trip him for spying until we can leave tomorrow." Yang said nonchalantly. "Whatever secret you have, will remain that, a secret until you're willing to let me in."

"Oh Yang…" Nora trailed of, holding Yang tighter. "That might be closer than you expect, especially after this."

…

…

…

…

 **-Black: Death-**

 **-Mistral: Kuroyuri-**

 **BGM: Vengeance-Zack Hemsey**

In the ruins of Kuroyuri, Ren sat on top of the roof of a destroyed inn. In his hand was a small cup of herbal tea which he sipped on as he looked up at the broken moon. After a few moments, Ren paused briefly before closing his eyes.

"You've gotten better." Ren praised as behind him, Blake could be seen kneeling having appeared from seemingly out of nowhere. In place of her usual attire, she wore what could best be described as a skin-tight black combat suit. The lower half of her face was covered by a black metallic mask that was fashioned to look like the mouth of an enraged lion. On her back, as always, Gambol Shroud was sheathed but along with it was an all too familiar katana that rested beneath it. "So, what did you discover in Haven?"

"Sickening." Blake all but snarled out. "Everything you said was true, huntsmen being led to their deaths by a coward. Lionheart was highly regarded in Menagerie, a Faunus that did what no other could and was accepted by the humans as a headmaster of all things."

"So, did you get rid of him?" Ren asked curiously. "At your level, he is nothing but child's play."

"I...I…" Blake began weakly making Ren nod his head, as if her response was expected.

"I see. Well the next huntsman to die from his orders will be on you." Ren said matter-of-factly, making Blake's eyes widen.

"What!?"

"Are you surprised? You saw what was happening and did nothing. This is the consequence, whoever else is harmed by him will be on you." Ren said simply. "You were faced with a decision, Blake, and in case you weren't aware. Not making a decision, is a very powerful decision."

"I have no right to make such a decision! I can't choose who lives or dies!"

"I see." Ren said before finishing his tea. "Then go home, I apologize for wasting your time and failing to be the mentor you needed. Death is coming one way or another and if you can't do what needs to be done, you are just a liability." Ren said as he brushed past her, giving up on Blake completely. "I had high hope for you when you struck down Adam, that you were able to gathered the resolve necessary to protect not just your people, but all people."

"It's not right!"

"It's not about being right or wrong!" Ren snapped startling Blake whom had never seen him show anger. Magenta eyes glared at Blake with a cold fury. "This is _war._ When you walk down this path, you are no longer a person. You are a force of nature, an agent of karma, death. All those who fall to your blade fall because of their own treacherous actions." Ren said before narrowing his eyes. "Seeing Lionheart must have been like looking at a mirror, two cowards in a situation they have no hopes of handling."

Blake visibly flinched at the declaration and even Ren's eyes widened when his mind caught up to his words.

He meant them, they both knew it.

Taking a deep breath, Ren calmed himself before once more turning to face Blake.

"Go rest, we'll get ready to head back tomorrow." Ren said after a moment before placing a hand on Blake's shoulder. "This isn't a good fit for you. This path is simply not yours to walk. Your gentleness should not be mistaken for weakness and that was an error on my part. That said, I have no need for such gentleness, the work I do can't afford it. You are destined for greatness, I know it, but this is simply not your path and I can't help you find it."

"What are you saying?" Blake questioned, a sinking feeling in her gut,

"That I give up." Ren said honestly. "It's not your fault, it's mine. No matter how hard I try, I can't help you. A war is coming, and you've grown enough that I trust you to not run from conflict even if you are unwilling to _prevent_ it. As of now, you and the rest of your team have grown a lot. That said, moving forward, it will be up to you to make sure that you don't fall behind. Unlike them, you will be alone and your growth will be your own responsibility."

"So, what? After all this training, just because I wouldn't commit murder that's it!?"

"That's it." Ren said matter-of-factly not even bothered by her righteous anger. "My window of opportunity is gone for now, so I will have to deal with Lionheart later on my own terms. IT has been an honor letting me teach you Blake, but you are simply not an assassin. You are still a huntress, but unfortunately you have yet to figure out what that means and it is not something I can teach you." Ren said politely before walking away leaving behind a frustrated Blake whose body was trembling with emotion.

 **BGM: END**

…

…

…

…

 **-White: Perfection-**

 **-Mistral: Colosseum-**

The Mistral Regional Tournament, an event held in winter of every year. A massive battle royale featuring fighters of all ages who compete to be crowned champion and be bestowed untold amounts of honor. The last four years this title was held by their champion Pyrrha Nikos, but with her going off to expand her education, the spot was now vacant and up for grabs for anyone who had a hunger for glory.

The crowd roared loudly from around the massive colosseum as one hundred combatants stood ready to do battle. In the front row, Pyrrha sat next Melanie as she crossed her arms and watched as the event prepared to commence.

"You know, when you all decided to call in a…favor…this wasn't I had in mind." Melanie pointed out making Pyrrha chuckle a bit. "Sis was disappointed that you didn't invite her, at least I can tell her it was more business than pleasure."

"I apologize, maybe one day we can party again but I needed _your_ help with this. I took her under my wing, but she actually a lot more similar to you."

"I noticed, she learned what little I could teach her fast." Melanie said as she looked down at the combatants. "She's almost as scary as you."

"Heh, she still has a long way to go but I'll give credit where its due." Pyrrha said, a dark grin appearing on her face as her lone green eyes seemed to shine with ill-intent. "She's not nearly pathetic as she used to be."

"Is that right?" A new voice asked making Pyrrha blink before she looked back to find an all too familiar red-haired horse Faunus approaching her with a grin. "So, it is you, almost didn't recognize you girl, last time I saw you had two eyes. I take it the other guy is worse off?"

"Would you believe me if I said no?" Pyrrha asked curiously making her old mentor blink.

"You lost?"

"In a sense. In the end we both came out better." Pyrrha said simply and Chiron had to admit, despite her missing eye, Pyrrha had looked _far_ more powerful than when he had last seen her.

"Hm." Was all that came from Chiron as he sat down, deciding not to question his former pupil further, he had heard all that he needed to. "Don't remember you being much of a spectator. "Why aren't you down there?"

"What's the point? My family is well off now, and I have found a higher calling." Pyrrha said matter-of-factly, her dark grin returning. "There's a huntress that's caught my attention."

"Oh?"

"Yes, she has a potential that might even surpass mine. She was born with more power than most but had no idea how to use it. I've taken her under my wing."

"And she's still sane?" Chiron asked skeptically, knowing full well how Pyrrha was.

"…relatively." Pyrrha said after a moment of thought, her eyes landed on a lone combatant that was garbed in a tattered brown cloak. At that moment, dozens of names and aura levels appeared on massive monitors as the ceremony began to commence.

"Wait...what?" One of the nearby spectator's questions, confused by one of the names on the monitors. Soon many him in his confusion as they peeped the one name that was so out of place that it couldn't simply be ignored.

 _Weiss Schnee_

Immediately, many members of the audience and even a few combatants began to scan the arena for any signs of the heiress as the countdown began. Throughout all this Pyrrha's grin grew more as her mentor just narrowed his eyes at her before asking a question he had really thought he could stop asking after Pyrrha left for Beacon.

"What the hell did you do?" Chiron question in morbid fascination as Melanie shuddered at the look on Pyrrha's face. What her sister saw in the sociopath, she would never know.

Pyrrha just laughed.

 **-Arena-**

"Huh? So, a Schnee is somewhere down here?" One of the combatants questioned as he glanced around as the fighters glanced amongst themselves. "I wonder where-" The fighter stopped himself when he saw the shorter cloaked figure beside him, or more accurately when his saw a sliver of white hair sticking out from her hood.

["Fighters…begin!"]

Remember where he was, he quickly grabbed his weapon-a silver spear- and pulled it out before attacking cloaked woman as pandemonium broke out in the arena. He stabbed forward toward her with all his might, however, his spear pierce nothing but cloth as his target apparently ditched her cloak and vanished in thin air.

 _ ***Flashback: 3 weeks ago, Mistral: Lower Levels: ***_

" _You think too much!"_ _Pyrrha snapped as she glared down at the down form of Weiss. "Don't think, just do. Even at Beacon it was the same problem with you!" Pyrrha growled out as she placed her foot on the back of Weiss' head, grinding the heiress' face into the ground. "Do you not understand the blessing you've been given?"_

" _B-blessing?" Weiss grunted out through the pain, her body tensed when Pyrrha stabbed one of her Javelin's into the ground next to her head._

" _You were spared the burden of leadership, this means that when in battle the only things you need to do is obey your orders and put your all into combat. Watch your teammate's backs, yes, but that's all part of the constant vigilance of the battlefield that you should already have." Pyrrha explained. "You're stuck in your head, stop it, you know your attack patterns so just do them."_

" _I don't know how to do that! I can't just not think!" Weiss shouted in frustration, making Pyrrha narrow her eye further._

" _You think so? Fine then, you leave me no choice." Pyrrha said as she removed her foot before grabbing Weiss by the back of her hair and lifting her up to her feet so that she could glare down into the heiress' eyes. "I'm going to break you." Pyrrha said resolutely making Weiss pale. "There exist two types of people in this world, Weiss, predators and prey. I'm going to make a lion out of you or kill you trying."_

 ***Flashback: End***

Faster than the eye could track, a shadow descended upon the spear-wielder whom looked up just in time to see a flash of white before his vision went black. An explosion rocked the arena as a mountain of ice exploded from the point of impact, instantly wiping out half of the competition. The arena released loud exclamations of shock, fear, and awe at the sight.

"There we go…" Pyrrha began, her grin widening as Melanie shuddered at the sight. "…bare your fangs." Pyrrha said as Weiss rose from a crouch, the ice blocking the sunlight behind her, obscuring her body with shadows. Chiron said nothing as he rubbed his chin in thought, appreciating the scale of the attack.

"She lacks your subtlety."

"She didn't need it." Pyrrha explained as the ice began cracking. "The _world_ knows her semblance, no point in hiding what it can do." Pyrrha explain and Chiron had to admit she had a point. Like Pyrrha, Weiss could devastate the other fighters with ease. However, unlike Pyrrha, Weiss didn't need to hide that fact to keep her advantage.

"This…will be the shortest tournament in Mistral's history." Chiron deduced and Pyrrha could only nod as the ice shattered, allowing the sunlight to shine down upon her and reveal heiress officially to the world. Her hair was still tied back in a long pony-tail and her crown was still absent, but now so was her signature white dress. In its place was a single black sweater dress that she wore beneath an open short white winter jacket. On the back of the jack was her emblem embroidered in blue, and on its right shoulder there was a rose emblem embroidered in red. Covering her legs were a pair of black knee-high boots, but oddly enough unlike the rest of her outfit, these had black armored plating going up the front of them.

"Come." Was all Wiess said, her eyes like twin glaciers as aa biting mist escaped her mouth. Nearly immediately, a chain wrapped around her sword arm which made her focus her attention on a large man a few meters away from her. With a shout, he pulled back on the chain strongly in an attempt to bring her towards him.

Only she didn't budge.

Confused, the man's eyes widened when he saw that her legs were frozen solid to the ground, holding her in place. So, startled by this he didn't notice the white glyph appearing beneath his feet until it was too late. Nearly immediately he found himself catapulted towards Weiss as the ice around her legs shattered.

 _ **["What are you without your weapon!?"]**_

"Know your place." Weiss said coldly as she leapt up. Time seemed to slow as she went to deliver a round house kick. A small glyph appeared beneath her boot, propelling her leg forward and making her spin around and slam her armored leg into her opponent's face with enough force to send him crashing down.

"She took my fighting style and made it better in days." Melanie muttered. "Money, power, brains, looks, and even talent…how is that even fair?" Melanie complained, though her heart wasn't really in it.

"It's not, which is why this is so exciting." Pyrrha said as her eyes never left Weiss. "This is what happens when you teach someone who has everything how to fight like they have nothing."

"A scary combination." Chiron mused as the remaining twenty-three combatants all turned to face the ice queen. "Seriously, what did you do?" Chiron questioned, shuddering a bit at the look in Weiss' eyes, a look he hadn't seen since Pyrrha.

Pyrrha didn't answer.

She just laughed when the other fighters decided to stand together against Weiss instead.

 **-Meanwhile: Atlas-**

Winter was confused, she had been in the middle of a particularly tedious expedition in out the outer reaches of the continent when general Ironwood had suddenly called her back to HQ. He had explained quickly that not only had a surprising shift happened surrounding Ozpin's "inner circle" but that its effects had somehow involved Weiss.

At this point Winter sighed.

She knew more than anyone why Weiss went so far from home to learn, but it still didn't change the fact that she had partially hoped Weiss would choose Atlas academy. Not only would Weiss still have the benefit of not being trapped at home with their father and brother, but Winter herself could keep a better eye on her sister and even help her personally at some times. Still, in the end Weiss had to find her own path.

And after all, just how much trouble could her sister really get herself in?

"H-holy…shit…" Winter heard as she passed the breakroom. She frowned when she saw more than a few of her men sitting around the lounge area, staring at the monitor in awe.

"Gentlemen." Winter began startling them as they turned to her slightly fearful as she checked her watch. "Break ended long ago, did it not?"

"M-ma'am! Sorry, we were distracted." One of the soldiers stuttered out as they stood and saluted her. "The MRT this year was…well…interesting."

"Was?" Winter asked curiously. Watching tournaments was a common pass time in the Atlesian military, one she participated in quite a few times whenever she was fortunate enough to be blessed with a break. To her knowledge the MRT should have just started. "Did they change the time while I was gone?"

"N-no…it's just over. There's been a winner already." The soldier explained before frowning. "With all due respect ma'am, I'm surprised that you of all people missed this year in particular."

"Excuse me?" Winter questioned as the soldiers glanced amongst each other in confusion before gesturing towards the monitor. Now Winter wasn't sure what she was expecting to see when she looked at the screen…

…but her little sister sitting on a throne of ice with a bored expression. Behind her the word "winner" flashing next to her image was not one.

"What?" Winter asked herself quietly, her eyes wide at the sight.

"S-she decimated the rest of the combatants…the tournament ended nearly as soon as it started, quite frankly I've never seen anything like it, she set a new record for the tournament. A _perfect_ fight, she didn't lose any of her aura." The soldier continued. "You've been out of town, but your sister has been making her name for herself since the incident at Vale's docks."

"What incident?" Winter asked sharply making him shudder.

"T-terrorists ma'am, they tried to steal dust from your family's business. Your sister and her friends fought them off but the fight was brutal–" The soldier stopped when Winter had already began storming away.

This was wrong.

She saw that look in Weiss' eye, a look that she only saw on herself in the mirror and on the faces of her men after battle.

A look that had no business on her sister's face.

And now she learned, from the grapevine no less, that her sister had fought off terrorists?

Why was she not told immediately?

" _You were supposed to be safe."_ Winter thought to herself coldly as she made it to Ironwood's office. Entering it briskly, it took all of her training and practices in military etiquette not to immediately demand explanation. "Sir." Winter began saluting Ironwood whom looked up from his desk.

"Schnee." Ironwood began, leaning back in his chair as he folded his hands together. "We need to talk."

 **-With Weiss-**

"How does it feel?" Pyrrha questioned curiously, handing Weiss the trophy as the award ceremony continued.

"What just happened?" Weiss asked with a confused scowl, looking at the trophy in confusion.

"You won."

"…Seriously?" Weiss asked skeptically as Pyrrha laughed a bit.

"Seriously." Pyrrha said, knowing what Weiss was feeling all too well. "When you clear your mind and do and instead of think, things tend to go by a lot quicker."

"Pathetic. Why were they so weak?" Weiss questioned before biting her lip as a horrible thought occurred to her.

Would this be every fight?

How could she possibly improve if _this_ was her competition?

"I still haven't broken." Weiss said quietly as Pyrrha patted her on her back reassuringly.

"Fear not, you will face challenges that will force you to grow…but they will be far and few in between." Pyrrha said knowingly, before a slightly haunted expression appeared on her face. "Welcome to hell."

…

…

…

…

 **-Red: Power-**

Crescent Rose was stabbed into the side of an old ruined building. On its haft, Ruby stood, her tattered cape obscuring her body and making her appear to be a lone crimson reaper. Her crimson aura flickered briefly as she stared up at dark stormy sky, rose petals blowing throughout the ruins. Soon, her bright silver eyes landed on a single black crow that dive-bombed towards her. The bird released a loud cry before transforming into Qrow whom descended upon her mercilessly, his scythe poised to strike.

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Flipping back, Ruby freed her scythe and managed to just barely avoid getting decapitated by the Empress whom crashed down in the middle of the throne room._

" _Not bad." The Empress praised before raising her gaze, and meeting Ruby's. Ruby blinked once and the next thing she knew the Empress was right before her, her face mere inches away from_ _Ruby's._ _"Let's see how fast you've gotten." The Empress said, making Ruby's eyes widen._

 _ ***Flash***_

Time seemed to slow for Ruby as she ducked back just in time to watch Qrow's scythe sail over her head. Turning his blade downward, Qrow brought it down upon Ruby quickly forcing her to twist her body in time to avoid it. Placing her hand on the handle of Qrow's scythe once it stabbed itself into the building, Ruby forced herself up and kicked her uncle in the side of his head with enough force to knock it to the side.

" _She's gotten better."_ Qrow noted as Ruby pulled the trigger on her weapon, using its recoil to disengage from the fight entirely. Transforming, Qrow flew up above the building just as Ruby landed on top of it. Transforming back, Qrow shifted his scythe into its sword form and released three massive swings at Ruby, each releasing an arc of aura that the younger huntress simply danced around. However, when the final arc hit, the entire building collapsed from beneath Ruby's feet. Still, Ruby didn't seem deterred as she simply glared up at Qrow before exploding into rose petals.

 _ ***Flash***_

 _Leaning backwards at the last second, The Empress avoided the spiral of rose petals that raced upwards towards her with ease. Reforming into Ruby, time seemed to stop for a brief moment as the two counterparts gazed at each other._ _Then, as if adhering to an unknown signal..._

 _They both pulled the triggers on their weapons._

 _Flying towards each other at blinding speed, the two scythes slammed into each other, their handles colliding into each other as their wielders pushed against each other while rose petals exploded outwards from the moment of impact._

 _The Empress smiled._

 _Ruby gritted her teeth before she found herself being batted back with ease._

" _Tell me, little one, did you think it was all pain?" The Empress questioned curiously, seemingly out of the blue, confusing Ruby with the sudden question. Seeing an opening, the Empress slammed her heel into Ruby's abdomen, sending her crashing back through the throne room and embedding her in a massive door way._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _This isn't good. As a huntress, she's improved leaps and bounds but we still haven't been able to achieve what we set out for."_ Qrow thought as he floated above the ruins, his massive black wings flapping lazily behind him as he looked down at Ruby.

"Ouch…" Ruby said with a wince, grunting in pain as she pried herself from the side of a building. Falling down to her knees as her uncle flew high up into the sky. A loud screeching sound alerted him to a large flock of nevermores flying into the area as well as a pack of goliaths leaping from building to building below him.

" _Sorry, Rubes, going to have to push you over the edge the hard way."_ Qrow thought before triggering his semblance willingly for the first time since his ascension. Immediately, a feeling of despair filled Ruby as she looked up in confusion and watched as all the Grimm simply by passed her uncle and charged her. Qrow gripped his blade tightly as he watched Ruby be obscured from view by the Grimm. He wouldn't intervene just yet, she had enough aura and skill to get out but he hoped it'd be enough to give her that extra push she needed.

 _ ***Flash***_

" _What are you talking about now!?"_

" _You've seen the pain and agony I caused our loved ones, the heart-ache, which is good. I wanted you to see, I wanted you learn from my mistakes and find the drive to be different." The Empress explained as she strolled towards Ruby. "Now that you have the drive to be different, you now need the drive to rule. So now_ _that_ _you've seen the bad, you must see the good."_

" _The good?"_

" _Yes, after all, at the end of the day, both you and I came from the same point. So, for me to hurt those we care about so much must mean there was something that I saw that was worth it." The Empress said matter-of-factly, startling Ruby._

" _Looking at the big picture was always the hardest skill for us to master seeing how we loved living in the_ _moment. That said,_ _it's_ _still a skill we mastered." The Empress said as the cracks on the door deepened until it shattered, sending Ruby falling backwards through a silver light._

 _ **BGM: All of you is all of me [EXTENDED]- No Game No Life OST**_

" _W-where am I?" Ruby muttered, rubbing her eyes as they tried to adjust to the blinding light. It took a few moments, but eventually she could see clearly once more and once she was able to take in her surroundings…_

… _she dropped her scythe._

" _W-what?" Ruby stuttered out. No longer was she in the castle, but now she was on a hill overlooking what could only best be described as paradise. A magnificent kingdom with an illustrious castle overlooking it. In the streets, children laughed and played with their families._

 _Soldiers, knights, could be seen participating and witty banter, enjoying their breaks between mission._

 _Flowers, roses, decorated each part of the kingdom as a beacon producing a bright silver light kept the darkness at bay and filled everyone with hope and optimism._

 _Heaven._

 _This was heaven. Ruby realized as with each and every passing moment, the kingdom seemed to be more beautiful than it had been previously._

" _We and our friends suffered so that they wouldn't have to." The Empress said quietly standing next to her counterpart whom couldn't find the will to move, her will to fight gone. "This is not an excuse for my actions, my failures, nor is it a justification. This is simply the result, nothing more and nothing less. Something to show you that I didn't turn out this way without reason."_

 _Ruby couldn't respond._

 _Like the Empress said, they struggled with seeing the big picture, so when she saw the pain and agony she brought upon her friends she became blinded with self-hatred, never once stopping to wonder just what would motivate her into becoming a 'monster'._

 _Seeing this…_

… _she understood…_

… _and hated herself even more for it._

" _I would do it all again. You're proof of that." The Empress admitted, making a sick feeling appear in Ruby's gut. "But I won't. No this is MY garden and its time has long since passed it is now nothing but a memory." The Empress said, waving her hand before them, reducing their surroundings to dust._

 _When Ruby blinked the kingdom had vanished and now she found herself kneeling in a massive patch of soil right next to a stream filled with a silver liquid._

" _Now_ _it's_ _time for you to plan your garden, or not. You've been manipulated enough, a necessary evil to prepare you for making this choice. Anything you do from this point forward is on you, I am willing to guide you should you ask but my time is nearing its end." The Empress said, her eyes shadowed by her bangs. "This is your last chance to walk away. Once you set off down this path there is no going back."_

" _Can…Can I really make a garden even better than yours?"_

" _You have all the tools you need. A rich foundation, seeds already planted, a scythe to deal with the weeds…" The Empress trailed off_ _before a_ _black watering can appeared before Ruby, a crimson rose on its side. "…and the nourishment needed to make it grow. Just don't make my mistake and confuse a root for a weed." The Empress said knowingly. "You said it best, you are not my beginning and I am not your end."_

" _No…but you_ _ **are**_ _my beginning and I_ _ **am**_ _your end." Ruby realized as the Empress remained silent. "So, I guess I have to make it a good end, huh?"_

" _If that is what you wish." The Empress said before bowing as Ruby stood up and grabbed the empty watering can. "Your majesty." The Empress said as Ruby filled the can up with water from the silver stream before pouring it on the rich soil._

 _ ***Flash***_

" _Come on, Rubes, come on. You have it in you, I know it. A power that even beats fate itself, you gotta reach deep–"_ Qrow's thoughts were cut off when a quick flash of silver light shot through the area, freezing every Grimm in place as if they were part of a photo. Nearly immediately they disintegrated as a hooded Ruby walked through their ashes. Qrow shuddered as he saw two silver lights shining brightly from beneath her hood as she glared up at him wordlessly.

He understood immediately.

"I see. Well let's continue–" Qrow stopped when he noticed Ruby in the air in front of him, her face mere inches from his. Swinging his weapon upwards by reflex, he found himself cutting through an after image as Ruby appeared on the roof of a building behind him. Turning around quickly, he went to attack only to stop when he saw her aura shatter, the light in her eyes dying out as she collapsed.

She was done.

Softening his express, Qrow flew down to pick her up. He'd have to ask her later whether or not she figured out the trigger but supposed that regardless they made some much-needed progress. Preparing to pick her up, Qrow stopped when he was force to hold his side, he took a massive blow to his aura as a small wound opened up beneath it, startling him. With wide-eyes he looked back at the downed Ruby in surprise.

A delay that long was unprecedented…

…just how fast _was she?_

 **BGM: END**

 **End.**

 **To be continued: Volume 2**

 **..**

 **...**

 **...**

 **...**

 **[Teaser #2: Presence: Year One-The Marked]**

 **You've all heard the story.**

 **You know the one.**

 **The one where heroes, typically a warrior, or even a thief, a mage, and possibly even an archer band together to stop an ultimate evil. Its been told so many times with so many different variations that it's almost impossible to not have heard this story in some form by now.**

 **What you might not know, however, is that this story…is** _ **history**_ , **a history that was hidden away as mankind grew.**

 **And a part of the story you never hear is what happens later, centuries later, when mankind has grown.**

 **When the evil returns will the heroes return as well?**

 **Or have they ever even left?**

 **Chapter 0**

 **-Los Angeles, California: Year 2054 CE-**

" _Anything new?"_

"Nah, just more people complaining about the _sanctity of the human body."_ A young woman mocked as she rested on her back on the edge of a massive sky-scraper. She had light brown hair and bright green eyes. Her torso was covered with a black hoodie with cat ears sewn on to them and she wore a pair of matching cargo pants and sneakers. She rolled her eyes as she continued to scroll through a holographic article that shone up from her phone. "The sheeple writing this garbage are lucky those cyber-terrorists aren't around anymore, they'd be the prime targets. What was the groups' name again? Wonderland?"

 **Wanted: Katarina "Kat" Umbra**

 **Age: 18**

 **Affiliation: Thieves' Guild: Band #13, Midas Entertainment**

 **Class: Infiltrator**

 **Role: Pilferer**

 **Crimes: Grand Larceny, Grand Theft Auto, Breaking and Entering, Aggravated Assault, Public Indecency, Once stole candy from a baby.**

" _Bloody hell, she meant about the job. Stay focused, Umbra."_

"Chill, Frost." Kat said, snickering at her joke as she heard the man sigh. Flipping to her feet, she pocketed her phone before doing a few stretches. "I have to spring the alarms anyway…seriously though I'm _almost_ getting tired of being shot at, so if we could find a hacker that wants less than fifty percent soon, that'd be great…"

" _We'll worry about that after this, right now, both of you focus and do your jobs."_

" _Understood."_

"Yes, boss~" Kat said as the clothes beneath her hoodie seemed to dissolve into black sand before reforming into a skin-tight synthetic armor. The lower half of her face was covered by a black mask that had red embroidering along its edge. Green sparks coursed over Kat's body as she reached into her pocket and pulled out a golden, hexagonal coin that had a green gem in its center. Flipping it, she caught it in her hand and began to giggle as tingling sensation filled her body which began to release a small golden glow. "I'm feeling lucky."

" _Good. Now move."_

"Catch you all later." Kat said before stepping off the building, laughing as she fell dozens of stories. Soon an air-shuttle appeared beneath her, flying through the sky. Grinning, Kat flipped forward and landed on it silently as it flew around the large building and down the block. Pulling out her phone from the pocket of her hoodie, Kat cycled through her playlist, before stopping on a song that caught her attention. "Gotta love the classics." Kat mused as she placed a wireless earbud into her right ear before putting her phone away.

 **BGM: Criminal-Earl St. Clair**

Sitting on the side of the shuttle, Kat swung her legs as she bobbed her head to the beat. Eventually, the shuttle turned around a large sky-scraper where Kat could see armed guards loading up armored vehicles which flew out of a massive door. Seeing the door beginning to close, Kat pushed herself off the shuttle and began free-falling towards a guard that was barking out orders.

"Move it people, move it! We need to have this place locked down, it's closing time!" The guard barked as Kat swiftly landed behind him. Startled, the guard turned only to find no one there. Blinking in confusion, the man scratched his head before turning back to the task at hand, positive he was just getting tired.

Not once did he notice the shadow sliding across the ground and into the building just as the massive door closed.

Inside the building, Kat rose from the shadow, green sparks coursing over her suit. Giggling to herself, Kat dusted off her shoulders and began dancing her way through the building. Walking to the beat, Kat stopped when she reached the end of a corridor. Popping her head out around the corner, she quickly pulled it back when she saw a guard walking toward her, a massive gun resting in his hands. Resting her hands behind her head, she leant back on the wall and continued to tap her foot.

"Section five is secure, sir, moving on to section six."

" _Copy that, regroup in thirty."_

"Yes, sir." The guard said before pressing a finger to his ear as he reached the end of the hall. Just as he made a turn to move on to his next section, a black-clad fist slammed into his jaw with a force that had no business coming from a woman of Kat's stature. Falling back on the unforgiving ground, the guard's unconscious body could be seen being dragged away before Kat walked out into the hall and continued her little jig throughout the building.

As she pressed forward, green circuits covering her left fist faded from view.

Suddenly, Kat silently clapped her hands as she felt the rhythm of the music move through her bones before she suddenly spun in place and slid to the side out of the view of a surveillance drone. Kat repeated this two more times before she made her way out of the area. Before long she found herself in front of corridor that was filled with a complex laser grid system. Electric green eyes shone with excitement as she danced her way backwards, moving her hips to the music before she suddenly rushed forward into the room.

With cat-like grace and unparalleled flexibility, Kat flipped forward and maneuvered her way throughout the room before exiting it on the opposite side in a single fluid motion. Once she left, she kept her momentum and jumped up. Landing on the banister of a spiral staircase, she slid down it as a black sand-like material appeared in her hand and formed into a metallic whip. The stair case led to a room that was filled with jewelry and two guards that overlooked it all. Once she reached the end, she jumped up and swung her whip at the first guard's weapon.

"What!?" The guard exclaimed as the whip wrapped around his weapon before it was pulled up and out of his grasp towards an airborne Kat. Spinning around, Kat swung her whip at the second guard, released the gun and sending it flying into the man's face with enough force to knock him out before he could even register what was happening. Turning back around, Kat cracked her whip once before swinging it at the first guard, wrapping it around his arm tightly.

Green circuits appeared on Kat's arm, increasing her strength as she pulled the guard towards him. Once he was close, she delivered a vicious left hook to his face, sending him crashing down instantly. Releasing her whip, it dissolved back into the black sand that flew towards her and merged with her suit. Flicking her wrists, five pale gold cards appeared in each of her palms, forged by the black sand. Each card bore the same single word.

Steal.

Tossing them on top of the display cases, all ten cards pulsed once before they swapped places with the jewelry inside. Giggling, Kat danced through the room, pocketing rings and necklaces alike. Once she finished gathering her loot, she made her way towards the back room where she could spot a massive safe. Forging her whip once more, Kat held it tightly before green sparks crackled along its length brightly. Raising it, she swung her weapon at the safe's door, the whip tearing through it with ease. The fragments of the door slammed onto the ground.

"Guys…I think I just found our rent for the next few years." Kat said, her eyes practically glimmering as she saw one of the most brilliant diamonds she had ever laid her eyes on. Moving forward, Kat grasped it in her hand, just as her golden glow faded. "This is 5.5 Carat, easily." Kat muttered as she pulled the diamond free.

At that moment a beeping could be heard, making her eyes widen before she looked up to find a surveillance camera looking right at that moment, Kat could only say the only thing that came to her mind at that moment as sirens began blaring loudly.

 **BGM: END**

"Fuck." Kat said before sighing and pocketing the diamond. "Well, this is going to make my second target a bit harder." Walking out of the room, Kat stretched her limbs as she heard guards rushing towards her.

 **-Meanwhile, two blocks away-**

"Once more, I am so glad we managed to set up this meeting." An older well-dressed man said as he sat opposite of a younger woman. She had pitch black hair and dark skin, however, what stood out most was the pair of golden eyes she had that seemed to stare through his very soul. "It has been a pleasure to meet you, Diamond."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mr. Valoisa." Diamond responded politely, grabbing her steak knife with her right hand which was covered in a black glove that bore a golden "M" on it. Oddly enough, her left hand had a glove covering it.

 **Wanted: Diamond Midas**

 **Age: 20**

 **Affiliation: Thieves' Guild: Band #13, Midas Entertainment, Midas Family**

 **Class: Assassin**

 **Role: Boss**

 **Crimes: 50+ counts of First-degree Murder, Tax Evasion, Public Indecency (vows to never let Kat pick a restaurant ever again)**

"Please my dear, call me Desmond." Desmond said politely while his daughter who sat beside him with her date, turned to face the golden eyed woman.

"You simply must tell me where you've got your eyes done." Desmond's daughter said, mesmerized by the color. "Such a lovely yet subtle augment."

"Now, Ana, you both can discuss such things later. I must admit at first I thought it would be impossible for us to have this much needed meeting." Desmond said as his daughter frowned briefly. "But with your surprising retirement from music I suppose you have a lot of free time."

"On the contrary, I have never been busier." The woman said as she cut into her steak, ignoring the sounds of gunfire and adrenaline filled laughter she could hear from a small ear-piece.

"Understandable, you have begun to take over your father's empire. Such things take time, something I've been trying to teach my wayward daughter." The man said, gesturing to a young woman around Diamond's age who had accompanied them along with her date.

"Daddy…Can I not get one night without you roping me in to work?" The woman complained before turning to her date. "See, Richard? No matter what I do I can't escape it." The young woman complained to her date, a young brown-haired man with tanned skin.

"Now, now, Ana I'm sure he didn't mean anything by it. He just wants to get you ready to work in your family's trade, that's all." Richard said, making Ana's father nod approvingly.

"Exactly, my boy! As pleasant as this evening is, it is still a business meeting." Desmond said as Diamond nodded before continuing her meal. "Unfortunately, your father and I never saw eye to eye on certain matters, so I was forced to take my business elsewhere. Though now I must have faith in the next generation, surely you can see what your father couldn't, how our empires can help each other out?"

"Depends." Diamond began before turning to face Ana, raising an elegant eyebrow. "Are you a decent human being or did the apple not fall far from the tree?" Diamond asked curiously.

And just like that a weight settled upon the table.

"W-what?" Ana stuttered out in confusion while Richard looked equally surprised. Narrowing his eyes, Desmond said nothing as Diamond swirled her wine in her glass before sipping it.

"Your family business, exactly how much has daddy prepared you to take it over?" Diamond questioned curiously. "It has enough legitimate business for you to live a comfortable life, shame that's not enough for Desmond, here. You see, your daddy is afflicted by a disease called greed, a condition I am all too familiar with. He always wants more which led to him gaining inventory through less than…ethical means."

"Daddy…what is she talking about?" Ana questioned with a confused frown. Frown deepening, Desmond leaned back in his chair as the chatter around the restaurant stopped.

"I'm not sure what you think you're implying, but whatever it is it can be discussed in private."

"Imply? No, I'm saying it." Diamond said matter-of-factly. "You run one of the longest standing blood diamond trafficking rings that's ever existed. My father doesn't like how you acquire your inventory, and unfortunately for you, neither do I." Diamond said before glancing back at Ana, or more accurately at a diamond necklace around her neck. "I wonder, how much pain went into that necklace or is it one made legitimately?" Diamond wondered as Desmond's face flushed with anger.

"Daddy!?" Ana questioned incredulously, placing a hand around the jewelry on her neck as she looked at her father in horror.

"That piece had nothing to do with…that…collection." Desmond gritted out as Diamond sipped some more of her wine.

"I see, too ashamed of the blood on your hands to taint your poor daughter. Though let's be honest, your ring won't die with you, someone is going to inherit the business. Your daughter doesn't have what it takes to do the real work you do, so if not her, then perhaps a young ambitious heir that managed to recently worm his way into your heart. A kindred spirit?"

"That's enough, my darling doesn't need to hear any more of your lies." Richard said coldly. "I have no interest in such a trade, I have not only enough experience in this business but I already have exclusive access to the most beautiful diamond that has ever graced this planet."

"A diamond you still must let me see one day, my boy." Desmond said as he recollected himself and forced a smile on his face. "A shame you decided to come up with such lies, just like your father, seeing things that simply aren't there. I'd be careful, girl, such accusations could be dangerous in the wrong circles."

"The Midas family…" Diamond trailed off as she continued to eat, not even remotely bothered by his words. "…is a very old and powerful family, with connections you could only dream of. All I've done tonight is say things we both know, in fact, Ana here may be the only one in the dark. Proof? Unnecessary, but I could get it if you would like?" Diamond asked curiously. "In fact, I have someone acquiring it now, where would you keep something incriminating like that? Your office perhaps?"

 **-With Kat-**

 **BGM: Don't Sweat the Technique- Eric B & Rakim**

The three guards standing in front of Desmond's office had been on high alert ever since they heard the alarms. A loud ding alerted them to the end of the hallway where they heard the sound of the elevator stopping on their floor. Elevator door opening, two guards fell out of it unconscious, immediately putting them on high alert. Glancing at each other with their weapons raised, one signed for them to be ready as he went forward to investigate. Stepping over his downed comrades, he entered the elevator and was confused to find it empty.

"It's clear–" The guard was cut off when Kat fell down from above him and kneed him in his face, sending them both crashing down. Straddling him, Kat quickly punched him in the face, knocking him out instantly before she rushed towards the other two who managed to snap out of their shock. Aiming their weapons at her, they shot at her only for Kat to dodge their fire with lightning fast reflexes.

When she was close enough, Kat went down and slid forward, kicking the second guard's legs from beneath him, making him fall on top of him. Grabbing his weapon tightly in her hands, she rolled them both over and aimed the rifle at the last guards vest before shooting him.

"Thanks." Kat said to the guard beneath her before slamming her head backwards into his face with enough force to knock him out. Flipping to her feet, she walked forward to the guard she shot down. Though the bullets didn't pierce his vest, they were more than strong enough to incapacitate him. Knocking him out with a swift kick to the head, she reformed her whip as she stepped over his body and made her way to the door to Desmond's office.

On the opposite side of the door, a molten "X" could bee seen tearing itself into the door courtesy of Kat's whip before she kicked it down, shattering it with ease a before she entered the room. Behind her the elevator opened once more as more of the security team entered the scene.

 **-With Diamond-**

 _["Boss, I'm in."]_

"You had your phone on silent for this meeting, and though I am grateful, you should at least have it on vibrate. Never know when something important needs your attention." Diamond advised as she finished her meal. Desmond felt the blood drain from his face as he pulled out his phone to find it's screen shining red with various alerts about a break-in.

"W-what did you do?"

"Like I said, the Midas family is an old and powerful one. We have connections you couldn't even fathom. I have people, skilled people, that make dealing with corrupt individuals like yourself a walk in the park. Getting proof? That's just a formality. I could have something forged against you that would be just as convincing, but there is no honor in that." Diamond said as she sat back in her chair. "I'll take care of the bill, you collect your thoughts and I will contact you later about the steps you need to take for us to have an…amicable relationship."

"You sit there, and try to ruin me, and expect to just leave?" Desmond asked angrily, scaring his daughter as she had never seen this side of him as Jack frowned.

"Perhaps, we should fall back?" Richard advised, looking nervous. Desmond glared at him for, clearly not pleased with his suggestion.

"Silence, boy!" Desmond nearly snarled out. "I let you fuck my daughter, not run my business, not yet!" Desmond said darkly before a strange expression crossed his face as he snapped his fingers. "Consider this a lesson boy, about how to handle business without getting your hands dirty." Desmond said and as one, the other patrons of the restaurant suddenly stood up and turned to face their table.

"Ah, a lot of guards, seems you did learn something from your last meeting with my father." Diamond said as she grabbed her steak knife, noting idly how the other patrons all seemed to have a side-arm of some sort on them. "But it's about quality, not quantity, that's why I only brought one." Diamond explained, confusing Desmond greatly since as far as he knew, Diamond had come alone.

"What-" Desmond stopped, his mind exploding with pain as he suddenly found himself slamming face first into the table with enough force to break it.

"R-Richard!?" Ana exclaimed incredulously as she saw her date restrain Desmond, holding his face firmly into the ground before Diamond's feet.

 **Wanted: Jack Frost**

 **Age: 20**

 **Affiliation: Thieves' Guild: Band #13, Midas Entertainment, Frost Family**

 **Class: Enforcer**

 **Role: Grifter**

 **Crimes: Aggravated Assault (Claims self-defense), Public Indecency (Claims it was Kat's fault), Prostitution (Claims to have been an escort for only the highest quality women, any further…activities…had nothing to do with the service he provided. Allegedly.)**

"Now, what good are all those guards if I just end you right here?" Diamond wondered tracing the side of Desmond's face with her steak knife as his guards stood around unsure of what to do. She pressed the blade with a just enough force to draw a drop of blood. "Please don't try to call my bluff, I didn't come here tonight with the intentions of splitting up a family."

"W-what do you w-want?" Desmond grunted out through the pain.

"Simple. You are to end your illegal dealings, transfer ownership of your legitimate business to your daughter and I will be in touch with her from here on out." Diamond said matter-of-factly. "This doesn't need to become a public thing. The Midas family does its dealings in the shadows, like you, just much better and with much more experience. I'm giving your legacy a second chance. Do what I say and that's it, you live, as far as the public is concerned nothing changes, and your daughter gets to keep her father…though I'm not sure she still wants you, all things considered."

"Take the deal, this evening has already ended in a broken heart, let that be the only casualty." Jack said, not even bothering to glance at Ana whom had tears of fear and confusion running down her cheeks.

"F-fine…" Desmond relented especially when Jack tightened his hold.

"Good." Diamond said before turning towards Ana. "We'll be in touch. If you try anything as we leave or if I see even the slightest trace of your presence in any future dealings, you'll be ruined and behind bars faster than you can blink, understood?" Diamond questioned making the man nod. "I've given your family a second chance, don't waste it Ana. Consider this your first and last lesson in honor." Diamond said before stabbing the knife down into the floor up to its hilt mere inches from Desmond's face, terrifying the older man. Rising from her seat, she made her way to the exit with Jack in tow.

"The most beautiful diamond to ever grace this planet?" Ana repeated suddenly, making Jack pause as he glanced back at the tearful woman whom glanced between him and his boss who was still making her way to the door. Jack just gave her a sad smile before continuing forward.

 **-Ten minutes Later-**

 **BGM: END**

Diamond and Jack stood quietly on top of a roof, looking over at the city lights. Jack's head was suddenly covered in black sand that quickly dispersed, revealing a man with completely different features. Gone was his brown hair and brown eyes and in their place was platinum blond hair and a pair of ice blue eyes. Jack coughed loudly, black sand shooting from his mouth.

"Worst part about a prolonged disguise has to be adjusting the voice." Jack said, his voice now filled with an English accent. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out a golden flask and sipped it to clear his throat.

"Told you not to change your voice."

"What can I say, I like to be thorough." Jack said with a bright grin, pocketing the flask, before both he and Diamond turned back in unison to find Kat approaching them. Nearly immediately his expression fell as Diamond's remained the same when they noticed that the short thief had the entire computer in her arms. "Kat? I thought you went to extract the data?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, do you know how to extract encrypted files while being shot at?" Kat asked sarcastically as she placed it down while her mask turned into sand and slipped beneath her hood. "Consider this shit extracted, I'll take it to the Guild to get the data we need because I am no hacker." Kat said dryly before reaching into her pocket and pulling out the large diamond. "More important than blackmail, I got rent." Kat said as she tossed the gem to her boss whom caught it with ease.

"Good." Diamond said, pocketing the gem. Suddenly Kat fell on her back, limbs sprawled out as she looked up at the night sky. It was clear that she was exhausted.

"Boss, we can't keep doing this. Between the three of us, we only know how to use tech, we don't know a damn thing about getting inside of it and stopping shit from hitting the fan." Kat said before raising an arm. Diamond and Jack both felt their eyes widen when they saw a small opening on her suit resulting from a bullet, her skin was free of injury as the suit tried to repair itself but the message was clear. "My luck ain't enough. If we had tried to rob the Mage's Circle, I'd be dead."

"Katarina…you're right." Diamond said after a moment as she turned away from them, folding her hands behind her back. "We need to start contracting a hacker, price be damned. Jobs will only get harder and even if they want fifty percent, no price is worth more than either of your lives."

"Now, I wouldn't go that far boss." Kat said, putting a smile on her face. Diamond was terrible at showing emotion but that didn't mean she lacked them, in fact, hers ran far deeper than either Jack or Kat's. "We still need to maintain a profit margin, but yeah, we need a hacker. This ain't like the good old days when thieves could get by without one. Its 2054, the security has security."

"You're not wrong, but just where the bloody hell are we going to find a hacker willing to join us for a reasonable price?" Jack questioned curiously.

 **-Meanwhile: Al's Diner, Santa Monica, California-**

"Alright, I'm headin' out Al!" A young woman called out with a slight southern accent. She was a tall woman, if a bit lanky, with black hair, pale skin, and gray eyes. On her chest was a large golden cross pendant and she wore a simple pair of cargo pants a plaid button up shirt.

 **Wanted: Abigail (Redacted)**

 **Age: 22**

 **Affiliation: Al's Diner, (Redacted), (Redacted)**

 **Crimes: None. [Encrypted files: Hacking and stealing classified information from both governments and corporations (Allegedly), Cyber-terrorism (Allegedly), Corporate Warfare & Espionage (Allegedly)].**

"Sup, Eric?" Abbie said as she made her way towards a dark-skinned man that was hanging out by the entrance. "Not your shift, why are you here?"

"Uh, because it's your birthday?" Eric said, raising an eyebrow. Abbie blinked owlishly before groaning, realizing that he was right. "Girl, you are really out of it lately. Fortunately, your best friend is here to make sure you get fucked up tonight!"

"…Can I just go home?"

"Nope!" Eric said happily. "Just you wait! We're gonna tear this city up, mark a new beginning for you! This year, your life is going to take a turn for the better, believe me!"

"Whatever you say, come on let's get a beer or two."

"Or three?"

"Or four." Abbie responded with a grin that he returned before following him out. Despite herself, she couldn't help but get swept up by his optimism. Who knew, maybe for once in his life he was right, and this would be the year that got her out of her rut. She had already hit rock bottom…

…what was the worst that could happen?

 **To be continued in…**

 **Title: Presence: Year One**

 **Subtitle: The Marked**

 **Author: L.J. Branch**

 **Again, link to the rough draft of the cover art on my page!**

 **Which will HOPEFULLY Be next month if shit doesn't go haywire again *face-palm***

 **Also A LOT of people PM this question so I'll answer it here. My personal favorite volumes of RWBY, in order, are as follows.**

 **V1: May not be the "smoothest" animation wise, but one of the more dynamic wise that set up an interesting world and cast with incredible amounts of potential.**

 **V2: No more shadow people, solid story that showed that this could be more than a school story. Only reason this wasn't one is because I feel they could have capitalized a bit more on the potential set up in V1**

 **V3: The fight per episode thing was hype but it did interfere a bit with the story which could have focused on giving Cinder an equally devastating plan that didn't seem to rely on RNG (lol). (Minus points for the failure to deliver with Adam being a badass (As the reviewer Grissley calls him, bitch boy Adam)) (Also minus points because of Pyrrha salt.)**

 **And that's about it.**

 **Rebuff:…Err…you're missing-**

 **THAT'S. ABOUT. IT.**

 **Rebuff: B-but…**

 **Rebuff. They never left Beacon, do you understand me?**

 **Rebuff:…**

 **Seriously though, my long time reviewers PM questions regarding how much I like canon because I write what I enjoy. If you manage to screw your canon up to the point I become completely disillusioned with the franchise as a whole, I won't keep writing because it becomes a chore at that point.**

 **I write fanfics for fun, it's a hobby not my job, if what I'm writing stops interesting me, I won't waste my time or your time on it. This is the main reason LIAG is going on a major series overhaul. I'll probably repeat this following section in future ANs in other stories.**

 **First case, Bleach, if the series ended with Aizen that fanfic would have gotten an ending.**

 **Next Mass Effect: I wanted to continue this one SO BAD but between ME3 ending salt and Andromeda I personally stopped caring because the developers stopped caring. Not to mention this wasn't originally my story regardless. (Yeah you can blame EA and there are a lot of factors in this, but at the end of the day this was nothing but a failed endeavor that turned me off the series.)**

 **Red-actually, I wholeheartedly plan on continuing this its just unfortunately not on the priority list atm with KoR and Sora LIAG**

 **Marvel Trinity: I had stopped because Slott's apparently never-ending run turned me off, This will continue because he killed it (In a good way) with his final arc and the new writer is (Currently) giving me hope for Spidey's future, so expect more content here down the road.**

 **Look concerning Slott, I made jokes about his run, but the man is a great writer with great ideas, his issue was execution and only execution because it often came at the expense of character development.**

 **FAO: Fairy Tail…enough said.**

 **There are also a few mini series that I, once again, will continue when I get more time.**

 **Louise: Rebuff recruited me back since my return and we've been looking the story boards. We got the beginning and the end, the middle part is the hold up atm. It also has the lowest following of active projects which unfortunately puts it lower on the totem pole.**

 **So, what was my point in this besides giving you a quick, cheeky, update on all the stories? To reassure you not to worry. Unlike other stories it wasn't the RWBY canon itself that made me fall in love, but its** _ **potential.**_ **I give Roosterteeth a break because the unfortunate truth of the matter is that it** _ **isn't**_ **their story. It was Monty's, may he rest in peace, and nothing can be harder than picking up someone else's story-a close friends at that- along with their fandom and trying to fill their shoes.**

 **Take Rebuff and I for example, when I was…indisposed…she took over. Personally? I think she did a goddamn good job. We both have stupidly busy lives, you all can't see behind the scenes, but believe me there is a reason we never do an update schedule. I had and still have a ridiculous work ethic that's not for everybody, the fact Rebuff did as well as she had was nothing short of a miracle.**

 **Perhaps if I hadn't had that experience I would have my pitchfork ready like everyone else who didn't like volumes four and five. (for admittedly good reasons but I'm not about to do a character break down and explain why these volumes were…lacking (Okay V5 was fucking God awful but they at least tried in V4 and I respect the attempt)…there is enough videos on YouTube about it at this point that its practically a meme.)**

 **That said, I did have this experience, and I sympathize. (Don't get me wrong I'll still call a duck a duck, there were some things that straight up showed they cut corners and that's inexcusable.) Still,when I see legitimate effort, chances are that won't turn me off of a series and I plan to finish this story.**

 **[Will: *claps enthusiastically* Very well said Lord Rebuke. You made very good points regarding the potential of RWBY despite…eh you already said it. Anyways, total count of things I corrected in this teaser (for Volume 2 and Chapter 0) is…24. Yes, this is going to be a thing with my service now. Beware the numbers~ ^_^]**

 _ **Rebuff: EXPOSE HIMMMMMMMM!**_

 **;_; Y U Do Dis**

 **[Will: Anyways, Lord Rebuke, I ask for your blessing in a RWBY fic I'm currently drafting when not working on Legacy of War. I will send you the first chapter when it's finished. Let's just say that…I took some inspiration from your various LIAG…and I spent way too much time playing FF and FE games.** **Now if you'll excuse me, it's time for me to go and face my newest adversary…college.]**

 _ **Rebuff: You poor bastard *War flashbacks***_

 ***Emiya voice* Hey...that's hell you're walking in to. Good luck, you'll need it.**

 **Well as we at X7-Entertainment mourn the homie Will, the rest of you remember read and review!**

 _ **Rebuff: And as always stay classy!**_

 **~RebukeX7**

 **P.S. *Hold up bottle of liquor* Poor one out for the hard drive that's no longer with us.**


End file.
